Two good, two bad as Faheem Ashraf becomes first Pakistan bowler to take T20I hat-trick

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Ashraf's hat-trick was the first ever by a Pakistan bowler in T20Is.

    A much more resolute Sri Lanka performance wasn’t enough to dent Pakistan’s charge as Sarfraz Ahmed’s men took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.

    After winning the toss for the second time in a row, Sarfraz put the islanders into bat after both sides named unchanged playing XIs from the first match.

    Chasing a modest total of 125, Pakistan were bailed out by some sensational hitting from Shadab Khan at the death to steal a two-wicket victory over the islanders.

    After a keenly contested match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, we look at the two good and bad performances of the match.

    THE GOOD

    Danushka Gunathilaka’s maiden T20I fifty

    The left-handed batsman had got off to a flier in the first match on Thursday and he managed to do the same on Friday. This time though, Gunathilaka capitalized on his start to build a fine innings as he notched up his maiden T20I half-century.

    The left-hander’s strokes were elegant and reminiscent of a certain Kumar Sangakkara and found the boundaries at regular intervals to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

    The opening batsman put on a 70-run partnership for the second wicket with Sadeera Samarawickrama to put Sri Lanka at a solid position before both of them departed in quick succession.

    His 48-ball 51 was one of the rare bright sparks for the tourists in their second consecutive loss.

    Gunathalika's innings was the rare bright spot in Sri Lanka's batting.

    Gunathalika’s innings was the rare bright spot in Sri Lanka’s batting.

    Faheem Ashraf becomes first Pakistan bowler to claim T20I hat-trick

    After bowling a quiet and economical first spell, Ashraf returned to devastating effect at the death to claim a rare hat-trick and in the process become the first Pakistan man to do so.

    The 23-year-old’s moment to shine came in the penultimate over of the Sri Lankan innings after the islanders had already experienced a middle-order collapse following the fall of Sadeera and Samarawickrama.

    The first to go was Isuru Udana who was undone by a slower bouncer to be caught excellently by Hasan Ali. Mahela Udawatte followed him in the very next delivery after slashing a short wider delivery only to Babar Azam to complete a brilliant catch at point.

    The hat-trick was complete when Dasun Shanaka was trapped lbw after attempting to pull against a ball which kept low. Ashraf’s hat-trick was only the sixth such instance in the history of T20I cricket.

    THE BAD

    Sri Lanka’s poor running between the wickets costs them big time

    That this Sri Lankan squad had not played together enough was evident in the running between the wickets displayed by the islanders on Friday.

    After settling in nicely, opening batsman Dilshan Munaweera took off for a non-existent single only to be run-out well short of his crease via a direct hit by Imad Wasim.

    Then, after having strung together a 70-run partnership for the second-wicket, Sadeera was undone in comical fashion after driving the ball and setting off for a single. Non-striker Gunathilaka was not interested in his partner’s call and Sadeera had to turn back, leaving him no chance of making his crease in time.

    Seekkuge Prasanna was the third established batsman to fall to a run-out when a direct hit from substitute fielder Mohammad Nawaz found him a couple of inches short of his crease to compound Sri Lanka’s misery.

    Sri Lanka's running between the wickets left a lot to be desired.

    Sri Lanka’s running between the wickets left a lot to be desired.

    Sri Lanka’s incredible batting collapse

    Having put added 106 runs for the opening two wickets, Sri Lanka’s batsman could only muster a shambolic 18 runs for the final eight.

    The islanders lost their way completely after the fall of Sadeera and Gunathilaka as their final eight wickets departed for only 13 runs to end their innings in dreadful fashion having started off so well.

    While the run-outs brought their own headaches, the lack of application from most of Sri Lanka’s batsmen baffled many as what at one point looked like surefire 150-run plus score ended up being only 124.

    What was even more baffling was the decision to send batting all-rounder Ashan Priyanjan down to bat at a lowly number 10. The surprising decision capped off what was an innings to forget for the islanders in the final match at the UAE before the two sides head off to Lahore for the third T20I.

    Recommended