Imesha Dulani's maiden T20 International century guided Sri Lanka to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the opening match of their three-game series, with the hosts successfully chasing down a target of 177.
Sri Lanka's women's cricket team claimed the first match of their T20 International series against Pakistan, with Imesha Dulani playing a decisive unbeaten innings of 101 off 64 deliveries. Dulani's century proved instrumental in guiding Sri Lanka to their target of 177 with an over remaining, establishing a 1-0 series lead as the team secured victory by six wickets.
Dulani's performance marked a significant milestone in Sri Lankan women's cricket. According to reporting from The Island, her hundred was only the fifth ever recorded by a Sri Lankan woman in T20 Internationals and notably the first by someone other than captain Chamari Athapaththu. At 24 years old, Dulani became the fourth Sri Lankan woman to reach three figures across international formats. She demonstrated strong batting technique, striking 17 fours and a single six throughout her measured innings. Athapaththu herself contributed 39 runs off 22 deliveries, establishing crucial momentum during the powerplay.
Pakistan's batting performance suggested they remained competitive throughout the contest. Opening pair Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar provided a strong foundation, with Ali scoring 42 off 24 and Zulfiqar contributing 63 off 41 balls. Pakistan accumulated 64 runs without loss during their powerplay, reaching a total of 176 for 7. However, their middle-order contributions proved insufficient, particularly in the final overs where they managed only 49 runs across their last five overs from a position of 127 for 2.
Neither team produced exceptional bowling displays, with both sides relying on spinner performances. Kaveesha Dilhari took 2 for 36 for Sri Lanka while Nashra Sandhu claimed 2 for 25 for Pakistan. Pakistan's earlier ODI series loss of 2-1 means they must now secure victories in both remaining T20 matches to claim silverware from the tour.
