Imesha Dulani made history by becoming the first Sri Lanka woman other than captain Chamari Athapaththu to score a T20I century, powering her side to a four-wicket victory over Pakistan. The 24-year-old finished unbeaten on 101 off 64 balls, steering Sri Lanka to their target of 177 with one over to spare and handing them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka's chase was anchored by Dulani, who struck 17 fours in her innings. While captain Athapaththu provided a quick-fire start with 39 off 22 deliveries, the middle order faced some pressure, but Dulani remained composed to guide the team home. Her performance marked the fifth T20I century ever recorded by a Sri Lankan woman. She joins an elite list that includes Athapaththu, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Harshitha Samarawickrama.
Pakistan, having been sent in to bat, posted a challenging total of 176 for 7. They dominated the powerplay with an opening partnership of 64 runs, fueled by Muneeba Ali's 42 off 24 balls. After Muneeba departed, Shawaal Zulfiqar anchored the innings with a significant 63 off 41 deliveries. Despite their strong start, Pakistan struggled to accelerate in the final five overs, managing only 49 runs during that period.
Bowling honors were shared, though neither side saw spectacular figures. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with 2 for 25, while Kaveesha Dilhari took 2 for 36 for Sri Lanka. Seamers found little success on the pitch, particularly during the powerplay phase where no wickets fell for either side. Following their 2-1 loss in the ODI series, Pakistan must now win both remaining T20 matches to secure silverware in the tour.
