Anwar Ali smashed 46 off 17 balls as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by one wicket in the second and final Twenty20 international in Colombo on Saturday to win the series 2-0. Chasing Sri Lanka’s 172-7, Pakistan recovered from 40-5 in the eighth over to surpass the target with four deliveries to spare at the Premadasa stadium.
Pakistan, who won the first match by 29 runs on Thursday, had earlier clinched both the Test and the one-day series on their six-week tour of Sri Lanka.
Earlier, Aggressive batting by debutant Shehan Jayasuriya and Chamara Kapugedera lifted Sri Lanka to 172-7.
Jayasuriya, a 23-year-old left-hander unrelated to Sri Lanka’s former captain Sanath Jayasuriya, smashed three fours and two sixes in his 32-ball 40 before he was fifth out. But it was Kapugedera who boosted the total with an unbeaten 48 off 25 balls that contained four sixes and two boundaries.
Kapugedera put on 55 for the sixth wicket with Milinda Siriwardana (23) as the hosts plundered 59 runs in the final five overs.
Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena was among a packed crowd of 35,000 at the Premadasa stadium to watch the action after home team captain Lasith Malinga won the toss and elected to bat.