Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, 1st T20I at Dambulla, SL vs PAK, Jan 07 2026 - Match Result

RESULT
1st T20I (N), Dambulla, January 07, 2026, Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka
(16.4/20 ov, T:129) 129/4

Pakistan won by 6 wickets (with 20 balls remaining)

shadab-khan
Player Of The Match
18* (12) & 2/25
salman-mirza
Cricinfo's MVP
67.58 ptsImpact List
Match centre Scores :  Thilak R •  Comms :  @sreshthx
Scorecard summary
Sri Lanka1 Inn
128/10(19.2 overs)
Pakistan2 Inn
129/4(16.4 overs)
View full scorecard
Cricinfo's Most Valuable Players of the Match
PlayerTeam
TI
B. Impact
Bowl
PAK67.58-3/18
PAK54.83-3/25
PAK54.4916.072/25
SL53.0153.01-
SL51.2727.751/17
View full list

And that's all from us at ESPNcricinfo. See you in a couple days' time for the second game, right at this venue. Will Sri Lanka fight back or will Pakistan take an assailable lead there? See you then. On behalf of Hemant, Thilak and Sudeep, this is Sreshth saying bye.

Winning captain, Agha: "I thought the toss was key because lot of dew came after 5-6 overs of the second innings. Seeing the pitch getting better, a target of 160-170 would've been challenging. Pretty much we know what we need to do. These two games are there and then Australia at home. We know our roles. Fielding I want my team to do well game in and game out.

Losing captain, Shanaka: "When we play T20Is, toss is vital. Setting up totals aren't easy, on these surfaces, that was covered for a couple of days. No excuses, we didn't have the batting start we wanted. Losing wickets in clusters need addressing. There was a time where we recovered well, especially Janith, Hasaranga and Asalanka. Janith wicket was crucial. I think we could've scored atleast 150 on this track. That's where we ended up on the losing side. I think, its totally on the approach with which you need to come to the game as bowlers. We need to hunt more. There wasn't a lot of buzz among the group, you must've seen how other teams come at us as an opposition. We need to have that energy of hunting like a pack. That was not there. An area to address. We bowled Thushara for wickets up front and for swing. That was the plan for the powerplay. But momentum shifted a bit. He had a bad day but we'll correct those areas."

Shadab Khan, Player of the Match: "Comebacks in internationals are tough because you start from zero. Bowling and batting is going well, trying to do the simple things. The surface was helping definitely, but in cricket you have to always assess the conditions. Here, fuller was better than good length. [T20 World Cup around the corner] As a player, it's always your dream to play in the highest level. For me, one step at a time. The team has done so well - Mirza and Wasim gave us the platform with their seam bowling for the spinners."

10.15pm An easy victory for the visitors. The spinners set it up, the openers nearly ended the chase early, and despite a brief hiccup, they comfortably took the hosts down. Sahibzada Farhan's half-century brushed some concerns around Pakistan's batting tonight and the target also ensured there wasn't much to fret about.

Shadab's comeback was also a memorable one. He varied his pace brilliantly. Abrar got a lot of turn and was incisive.

16.4
2
Asalanka to Usman Khan, 2 runs

length ball on middle. Goes deep in his crease and pulls to deep square leg. Fielder in the deep can't stop the second run and Pakistan win by six wickets!

16.3
1
Asalanka to Shadab, 1 run

full around off. Driven to long on

16.2
4
Asalanka to Shadab, FOUR runs

whoops! Through short fine leg! A fullish ball around leg stump and he plays a paddle sweep, but it's hit straight to short fine leg. But the awkward bounce makes him mess up the grab, and it goes past him for a boundary

16.1
Asalanka to Shadab, no run

length ball turning in. Tries to play a check sweep behind square. Hits his body and rolls behind the keeper

The former captain will bowl

Over16
3 runsNeed 7 from 24b
PAK 122/4CRR: 7.62  RRR: 1.75
Shadab Khan 13 (9b 2x4)Usman Khan 5 (12b)
DM de Silva1/4 (2)
15.6
1
Dhananjaya to Shadab, 1 run

full ball on middle. Driven down the ground to long on for a single

15.5
1
Dhananjaya to Usman Khan, 1 run

full around off. Smacked down the ground with the turn to long on

15.4
Dhananjaya to Usman Khan, no run

tossed up outside off. Caressed back with the turn to the bowler

15.3
Dhananjaya to Usman Khan, no run

full on leg and the on-drive is stopped by midwicket running to his left

15.2
Dhananjaya to Usman Khan, no run

tossed up on middle. Driven right back

less than 10 to win

15.1
1
Dhananjaya to Shadab, 1 run

length ball around off. Bit of turn in. Worked away to deep midwicket

Over15
12 runsNeed 10 from 30b
PAK 119/4CRR: 7.93  RRR: 2.00
Usman Khan 4 (8b)Shadab Khan 11 (7b 2x4)
PVD Chameera1/34 (4)
14.6
Chameera to Usman Khan, no run

back of a length around off and fended to the off side

14.5
1
Chameera to Shadab, 1 run

fullish ball on middle. Offers the full face of the bat. Bunted past the bowler to mid off for a single

14.4
4
Chameera to Shadab, FOUR runs

muscled away in the gap! Back of a length ball angling in. He runs down the track and pulls it quite far away from the deep backward square leg fielder

14.3
4
Chameera to Shadab, FOUR runs

short of good length outside off. He punches with the bat's open face square. Races away to the point fence!

14.3
1w
Chameera to Shadab, 1 wide

full outside leg. He goes for an expansive flick but misses it altogether. Down the leg side for an extra

14.2
1
Chameera to Usman Khan, 1 run

full on middle and leg. Worked away comfortably to deep square leg for one

14.1
1
Chameera to Shadab, 1 run

full skiddy ball around off and driven with the bat's open face to deep extra cover

Over14
1 run, 1 wicketNeed 22 from 36b
PAK 107/4CRR: 7.64  RRR: 3.66
Usman Khan 3 (6b)Shadab Khan 1 (3b)
DM de Silva1/1 (1)
13.6
Dhananjaya to Usman Khan, no run

length ball quite wide outside off. Punched towards short mid on

13.5
1
Dhananjaya to Shadab, 1 run

full ball on middle and driven past the bowler's left to long off

13.4
Dhananjaya to Shadab, no run

full ball on leg, and caressed down the ground. DDS dives to his right and parries the ball away

Best performances - batters
Spike GraphWagon Zone
Sahibzada Farhan
51 runs (36)
4 fours2 sixes
Productive shot
flick
11 runs
2 fours0 six
Control
78%
J Liyanage
40 runs (31)
2 fours1 six
Productive shot
cover drive
14 runs
1 four0 six
Control
65%
Best performances - bowlers
Salman Mirza
O
4
M
0
R
18
W
3
ECO
4.5
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
1W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
Abrar Ahmed
O
4
M
0
R
25
W
3
ECO
6.25
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
2W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
Match details
TossPakistan, elected to field first
Season2025/26
Player Of The Match
Series resultPakistan led the 3-match series 1-0
Match numberT20I no. 3660
Hours of play (local time)19.00 start, First Session 19.00-20.30, Interval 20.30-20.50, Second Session 20.50-22.20
Match days7 January 2026 - night (20-over match)
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Win Probability
PAK 100%
SLPAK
100%50%100%SL InningsPAK Innings

Over 17 • PAK 129/4

Pakistan won by 6 wickets (with 20 balls remaining)
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