Pakistan take T20 lead

Umar Akmal smashed 46 off 24 balls and Sohail Tanvir grabbed three wickets as Pakistan beat top-ranked Sri Lanka by 29 runs in the first Twenty20 International in Colombo on Thursday.

Pakistan piled up 175 for 5 after electing to bat and then restricted the reigning World Twenty20 champions to 146 for 7 in the day-night match at the Premadasa Stadium.

Akmal hit three boundaries and as many sixes during an entertaining fourth wicket stand of 81 from just 45 deliveries with Shoaib Malik, who remained unbeaten on a 31-ball 46.

Ahmed Shehzad was the other notable contributor with 46 off 38 balls, but Sri Lanka lost the way when Pakistan plundered 70 runs in the final six overs to set up the challenging target.

SCORES IN BRIEF

PAKISTAN: 175 for 5 in 20 overs (Shehzad 46, Malik 46 not out, Akmal 46; T Perara 2-30)

SRI LANKA: 146 for 7 in 20 overs (De Silva 31, Mathews 23, Siriwardana 35, Kapugedera 31 not out; Anwar 2-27, Tanvir 3-29)

Result: Pakistan won by 29 runs.

Player-of-the-match: Sohail Tanvir.