Shashikala Siriwardene registered her best bowling figures in T20Is as Sri Lanka managed a comfortable 7 wicket win over visitors Pakistan in the 2nd T20I at the SSC Grounds.
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After winning the toss yet again, Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof elected to bat 1st this time around. Pakistan got off to a slow start with the hosts’ spinners managing to keep a lid on the scoring rate early on in the inning. Oshadi Ransinghe was the 1st to strike in the 3th over, getting rid of Sidra Ameen and Siriwardene’s double blow a few overs later, sending back Nahida Khan and Skipper Maroof put the visitors under pressure at 39/3.
The backbone of Pakistan’s batting line-up during the tour, Javeria Khan was trapped in front with the score on 47 and from that point onwards it did not look like the visitors would be able to recover. Sana Mir fought briefly, but with none of the other batters in the middle and lower order managing to stick around for long, the Pakistanis were eventually bowled out for 73.
Sri Lanka used just 1 pace bowler during the game, with the spinners, Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, Chamari Atapattu and Siriwardene doing the bulk of the bowling. Siriwardene’s 4/9 are her best figures in T20Is.
Chasing a modest total, Sri Lanka came out with a bang with Atapattu slamming 3 boundaries in the 1st two overs. However, Nashra Sandhu removed her to give Pakistan a brief glimmer of hope early on.
Anushka Sanjeewani, who batted so brilliantly in the 1st T20I, played another steady hand, ensuring that Sri Lanka did not collapse as she put on 18 with Imalka Mendis and 31 alongside Rebecca Vandort.
Sanjeewani fell but Vandort and Sirirwardene took Sri Lanka home with 7 wickets and 34 deliveries to spare.
With the 3 game series tied at 1-1, it’s all to play for in tomorrow’s final T20I between the two sides at the same venue.
