Key Takeaways
- Maaz Sadaqat hit 96 off 51 balls in the second T20I against Sri Lanka.
- Captain Farhan scored 73, contributing to a strong partnership of 88 runs.
- Pakistan's total of 215-3 was a formidable score against Sri Lanka's fielding.
Maaz Sadaqat struck a blistering 96 off 51 balls to power Pakistan to 215-3 against Sri Lanka in the second Twenty20 International at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The left-hander, who had previously scored a half-century on debut, smashed six fours and seven sixes, narrowly missing out on a maiden T20I century.
Captain Sahibzada Farhan provided crucial support, scoring 73 off 44 deliveries, with four boundaries and five sixes, as the pair added 88 runs for the second wicket.
Sadaqat walked in after Fakhar Zaman fell for 22 off 17 balls, with Pakistan at 55-1, and quickly shifted gears alongside Farhan.
Farhan, who had started cautiously, found his rhythm with a slog-swept six over cow corner against Maheesh Theekshana, followed by a powerful drive over the bowler’s head for two.
Maaz also reverse-paddled Dasun Shanaka for four and charged down the track to dispatch him over long-on, exploiting gaps and punishing loose deliveries.
Sri Lanka’s fielding offered Pakistan crucial reprieves, with Sineth Jayawardena dropping a straightforward chance off Farhan at short third in the fourth over.
Farhan made the most of his escapes, reaching his half-century off 32 balls with a single against pacer Eshan Malinga in the 10th over.
Maaz brought up his second consecutive fifty in just 29 deliveries, launching Theekshana over long-off in the 15th over, by which time the partnership had transformed Pakistan’s innings.
By then, the partnership had added 88 runs, with the batters repeatedly exploiting gaps and punishing loose deliveries.
Farhan struck successive sixes against Theekshana before reaching 73, but his innings ended when he slashed Shanaka towards deep third in the 15th over, with Jayawardena completing the catch.
Maaz then took charge, combining clean hitting with inventive strokeplay, smashing Theekshana for three sixes in the 16th over, including one over midwicket and another over long-off.
He continued to target the leg side, while also carving boundaries behind point and scooping Nuwan Thushara over short fine leg.
Hasan Nawaz added impetus with an unbeaten 19 off nine balls as Pakistan crossed 200 in the 19th over.
Maaz moved to 92 with two boundaries against Thushara but could not find the final push for his century, with Malinga producing an excellent final over to deny the batter.
