🏏🔥 Hasaranga, Shanaka Power Sri Lanka to Series-Leveling Win Over Pakistan in Rain-Hit T20I
Spin, Sixes & Chaos! Hasaranga Destroys Pakistan as Sri Lanka Snatch Dramatic T20I
🌧️ When Rain Shrinks the Game, Pressure Expands
T20 cricket has a way of magnifying moments — and when rain intervenes, that intensity multiplies.
In a rain-reduced 12-over thriller at Dambulla, Sri Lanka produced a performance packed with spin mastery, fearless batting, and tactical clarity, defeating Pakistan by 14 runs to level the three-match T20I series 1-1.
At the heart of the victory stood two figures who embody Sri Lanka’s modern T20 identity:
- 🌀 Wanindu Hasaranga, the game-breaker
- 💥 Dasun Shanaka, the finisher-in-chief
Together, they reminded Pakistan — and the cricketing world — that Sri Lanka remain one of the most dangerous short-format teams when conditions suit.
🏟️ Match Context: Why This Game Mattered More Than the Result
This wasn’t just another bilateral fixture.
Both teams are:
- Fine-tuning combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup
- Testing leadership depth
- Assessing adaptability under unpredictable conditions
A shortened match often exposes:
- Tactical sharpness
- Bowling discipline
- Batting intent under pressure
Sri Lanka passed that test convincingly.
🌧️ Rain Changes Everything: The 12-Over Equation
In a 12-over contest:
- Par scores inflate
- Dot balls become gold
- One over can decide the game
Sri Lanka understood this better.
Pakistan, at times, played like it was still a 20-over chase.
That difference in mindset proved decisive.
🏏 Sri Lanka Batting: Chaos, Control, and a Captain’s Blaze
❌ Early Jolt: Nissanka Falls for a Duck
Pakistan struck immediately as Naseem Shah removed Pathum Nissanka in the first over.
At 10/1, Sri Lanka were under pressure — but not panic.
⚡ Kamil Mishara: Blink-and-You-Miss-It Fireworks
Mishara’s 20 off 8 balls was short but crucial.
- 3 fours
- 1 six
- Strike rate: 250
In a 12-over game, that cameo mattered.
🧱 Middle-Overs Stability: Mendis & de Silva
- Kusal Mendis: 30 (16)
- Dhananjaya de Silva: 22 (15)
Their partnership:
- Stabilised after early losses
- Ensured Sri Lanka didn’t collapse
- Set a base for a late assault
In Shortened Games, Stability Is Not Slow — It’s Strategic
💥 Shanaka Unleashed: One of the Most Brutal Cameos You’ll See
When Dasun Shanaka walked in, Sri Lanka were wobbling at 102/5.
What followed was pure destruction.
🔥 Shanaka’s Knock:
- 34 off 9 balls
- 5 sixes
- Strike rate: 377.77
No sighters. No hesitation. Just power.
Every over suddenly felt insufficient for Pakistan.
Shanaka Doesn’t Chase Form — He Manufactures Impact
🧩 Liyanage’s Silent Support
While Shanaka grabbed headlines:
- Janith Liyanage played the perfect foil
- 22 off 8 balls*
- Rotated strike, punished bad balls
Sri Lanka surged to 160/6 in 12 overs — a massive total.
🎯 Pakistan Bowling: Moments of Success, No Sustained Control
👍 Positives:
- Mohammad Wasim Jr: 3 wickets
- Naseem Shah: Early breakthrough
❌ Negatives:
- Lack of defensive lengths
- Too many boundary balls at the death
- Inability to contain Shanaka
In a shortened match, execution matters more than plans — and Pakistan’s execution wavered.
🏏 Pakistan Chase: Explosive Start, Strategic Collapse
⚠️ Early Loss: Farhan Gone
Sahibzada Farhan fell early, but what followed looked ominous for Sri Lanka.
🚀 Salman Ali Agha: The Counter-Attack King
Salman Agha produced one of the most outrageous T20I cameos:
- 45 off 12 balls
- 5 fours
- 3 sixes
- Strike rate: 375
Pakistan raced to 60/2 in under 4 overs.
At that point, the game tilted Pakistan’s way.
Pakistan Were Ahead — Until They Blinked
🌀 Enter Hasaranga: The Match Turns on Its Head
Just when Pakistan seemed in control, Wanindu Hasaranga arrived — and everything unraveled.
🎯 Hasaranga’s Spell:
- 4 wickets
- 3 overs
Key scalps:
- Saim Ayub
- Usman Khan
- Khawaja Nafay
- Shadab Khan
Each wicket was:
- Timely
- Momentum-shifting
- Psychologically crushing
Hasaranga Doesn’t Just Take Wickets — He Breaks Game Plans
🧱 Middle-Order Resistance: Nafay & Nawaz Try to Hold On
- Khawaja Nafay: 26 (15)
- Mohammad Nawaz: 28 (15)
Their partnership gave Pakistan hope, pushing the score past 100.
But in a 12-over chase, hope needs acceleration — not survival.
🔥 Death Overs Drama: Sri Lanka Hold Their Nerve
- Pathirana cleans up Nawaz
- Hasaranga removes Shadab
- Run-out of Faheem Ashraf
Final over:
- Pakistan need 20
- Score only 5
Pakistan finish at 146/8.
Sri Lanka Won the Calm Contest
🏆 Player of the Match & Series: Wanindu Hasaranga
This wasn’t just one good game.
Hasaranga:
- Dominated the series
- Controlled tempo
- Delivered under pressure
A reminder that he remains one of the world’s premier T20 all-rounders.
📊 Tactical Takeaways: What Both Teams Learned
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka:
- Spin is their superpower
- Shanaka remains elite at the death
- Hasaranga is irreplaceable
🇵🇰 Pakistan:
- Middle-order fragility persists
- Over-reliance on explosive starts
- Need better death-over clarity in shortened games
Pakistan Lost Control — Sri Lanka Took It
🌍 Bigger Picture: World Cup Signals
For Sri Lanka:
- Confidence boost
- Tactical validation
- Leadership stability
For Pakistan:
- Warning signs
- Selection dilemmas
- Mental adaptability concerns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
❓ Why was the match reduced to 12 overs?
A: Rain interrupted play, forcing a shortened contest.
❓ Who was Player of the Match?
A: Wanindu Hasaranga.
❓ How many wickets did Hasaranga take?
A: Four.
❓ What was the turning point?
A: Hasaranga’s double strike after Salman Agha’s dismissal.
❓ What’s the series result?
A: Three-match series drawn 1-1.
🧠 Final Cricketory Verdict: Sri Lanka Win the Moment — and the Message
This wasn’t just about leveling a series.
Sri Lanka:
- Trusted their strengths
- Played the conditions
- Executed under pressure
Pakistan flashed brilliance — but T20 cricket rewards control over chaos.
On a damp Dambulla night, Hasaranga spun the web, Shanaka lit the fire, and Sri Lanka reminded everyone why they remain one of the most unpredictable — and dangerous — teams in world cricket.