Pakistan beat Srilanka by 3 wickets in first T20

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the first Twenty20 International at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.Chasing 146 for victory, Pakistan made it home with five balls to spare with Shahid Afridi making an unbeaten 39, including a six to win.Sri Lanka made 145 for 5 in their innings with Angelo Mathews top-scoring with 50.Pakistan, who won the toss and elected to bowl first, restricted their opponents with none of the Sri Lanka top four able to score at better than a run a ball.Saeed Ajmal picked up the milestone wicket of key man Kumar Sangakkara for 21.Ajmal has got his 400th International wicket. Mathews did provide a spark with five boundaries and a six in his 34-ball innings before falling in the final over to Sohail Tanvir, who was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 34. Sri Lanka set a targetof 146 runs for Pakistan in 1st T20I at Dubai. A 50-run partnership between Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Hafeez gave Pakistan a solid foundation, and they reached 67 for 1 at halfway after Lahiru Thirimanne took a stunning catch to remove opener Ahmed Shehzad for just four.However, Khan went for 34, and then Ajantha Mendis removed Hafeez for 32 and Umar Akmal for five in consecutive balls, the latter run out at the non-striker's end after the bowler deflecteda Sohaib Maqsood drive onto the stumps.Umar Amin came and went forjust eight before Afridi took the total past 100 with a boundary, leaving Pakistan needing 43 from the final five overs."Boom Boom" Afridi smashed Nuwan Kulasekara for two sixes in the 16th over, and although Lasith Malinga picked up two late wickets, Afridi dispatched Kulasekara for a third six to win the match.