Pak in SL: Afridi, Ali heroics give Pakistan thrilling 1 wicket win and T20 series

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 1 wicket in a cliffhanger to win the two-match Twenty20 series 2-0 at the R. Premadasa ICS in Colombo today (1).   Electing to bat first Sri Lanka posted 172 for the loss of 7 wickets and Pakistan made a strong comeback to snatch a thrilling win with four deliveries to spare.   Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals but middle order batsman Shehan Jayasuriya, in his maiden Twenty20 international game, impressed the lot with an enterprising knock of 40 off 32 deliveries which had three fours and two sixes.   Milinda Siriwardana chipped in with a 19-ball 23 with a four and a six but it was Chamara Kapugedara who set the tone for a challenging total.   Kapugedara hit an unbeaten 48 off 25 balls, inclusive of two fours and fours sixes, while forming a useful partnership of 55 runs for the sixth wicket with Siriwardana.   Pakistan were nowhere near the winning target and were 40 for the loss of five wickets until Mohammad Rizwan and skipper Shahid Afridi turned the game away from Sri Lanka.   Rizwan chipped in with 17 off 18 balls while supporting his skipper do the onslaught.   Afridi smashed 45 off 22 deliveries with a four and four sixes before Imad Wasim and Anwar Ali put the finishing touches for Pakistan.   Man-of-the-match Ali clobbered 46 off 17 deliveries with three fours and four sixes while Wasim remained unbeaten on 24 off 14 balls, inclusive of two fours and a six when he took Pakistan to the winning target.   Paceman Binura Fernando took two wickets.   Sri Lanka 172 for 9 wickets (20) Kusal Perera 19, TM Dilshan 10, Shehan Jayasuriya 40, Dhananjaya de Silva 14, Milinda Siriwardana 23, Chamara Kapugedara 48n.o, Shoaib Malik 2/16)   Pakistan 174 for 9 wickets (19.2) (Mohammad Hafeez 11, Shahid Afridi 45, Mohammad Rizwan 17, Anwar Ali 46, Imad Wasim 24n.o, Binura Fernando 2/33)