Dubai // To set an evening on fire, it helps to have Tillakaratne Dilshan. Kusal Perera’s 84 was the platform upon which was built Sri Lanka’s series-equalling 24-run win in the second Twenty20 in Dubai yesterday.
Kumar Sangakkara provided the finish to the highest T20 total seen at the venue, but it was Dilshan who controlled the mood and tone for Sri Lanka’s response to their loss on Wednesday evening.
It was his 48, in a 100-run opening stand with Perera, that said Sri Lanka was serious and that Pakistan had better worry. Perera had already got them off to a start in the very first over, but Dilshan began his work in the third over.
The first boundary, paddled over fine leg, was a trademark. The second, a punch straight down the ground, reminded everyone — if it needed doing — of his quality as a batsman.
When he then tore into Bilawal Bhatti’s first over, the innings’ fifth, the game was already beginning to look up for Pakistan.
There were four boundaries, including a proper Dilscoop. But a glided cut, riding tall on top of a short ball and a pull as effective as a slap to the face, were the over’s key notes.
You are mine, Dilshan seemed to be saying, and Pakistan were not looking in any mood to dispute that equation.
Perera provided much heat of his own, of course. He took 17 off a Shahid Afridi over and also shared responsibility for that rarest sight in Twenty20: a massively expensive Mohammad Hafeez over.
That was the innings’ 13th and went for 24, with Perera sweeping and driving two sixes.
Dilshan had departed the previous over, caught at deep point off an attempted reverse sweep, but he had done precisely what was needed.
Sangakkara took over and, like a DJ mixing Beethoven seamlessly with Pitbull, played a cameo it is difficult to imagine too many other batsmen as orthodox as him managing.
There were the usual shots from the Sangakkara repertoire, including two wonderful sixes.
But there were also cute little shots behind the wicket, like he was flipping pancakes in just the slightest bit of a rush.
By the time Perera was run out off the last ball of the innings, Sangakkara had helped put on 78 off just 37 balls.
It is not that often that Pakistan are bad with the ball in this format. Very rarely are they as awful as they were, conceding a 200-plus run total for the first time in 78 Twenty20 internationals.
For the loss of just three men, it was also the least number of wickets Pakistan has ever taken in a completed 20-over innings. But far more than their bowling, it was Sri Lanka’s batting that was responsible.
The chase was never realistically on, not only because Pakistan chase totals like Jerry might chase Tom, but also because it would have to be the highest chase ever in this format.
And Sri Lanka’s bowling unit are not clowns.
At least Sharjeel Khan further pushed his growing credentials with his first fifty and a sparkling, boisterous knock.
Pakistan’s evening, already disastrous, could only be considered complete with a middle-order meltdown.
Sharjeel’s was the second in a manic collapse that saw five wickets fall in 12 balls — with 21 runs scored — between the ninth and 11th overs of the innings.
The bowling was not particularly memorable, though Seekuge Prasanna’s two wickets in three balls had at least the inherent advantage of arriving through leg-spin.
Though the lower order brought respect, the batting was generally weak, crushed by the magnitude of the chase and Dilshan’s bullying.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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