Home › Blog › SLW vs PAKW 1st T20I: Sri Lanka Win Driven by Dulani Ton

Imesha Dulani celebrates her maiden T20I century during Sri Lanka Women vs Pakistan Women 1st T20I at Dambulla

SLW vs PAKW 1st T20I: Sri Lanka Win Driven by Dulani Ton

The opening fixture of the Pakistan Women tour of Sri Lanka, 2026 delivered a high-scoring thriller at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, as Sri Lanka Women pulled off a record-breaking 6-wicket victory over Pakistan Women in the SLW vs PAKW 1st T20I. Powered by a magnificent maiden T20I century from middle-order batter Imesha Dulani (101 off 64 balls) and a blistering opening assault by captain Chamari Athapaththu (39 off 22 balls), the hosts successfully chased down a formidable target of 177 runs with six balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, a newly structured, Muneeba-led Pakistan aim to compete hard in three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, posting a competitive total of 176/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Young opener Shawaal Zulfiqar anchored the innings with an aggressive 63 off 41 balls, while captain Muneeba Ali contributed a crisp 42 off 24 deliveries. However, Dulani's historic masterclass completely shifted the momentum, giving Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series following their 2-1 victory in the preceding ODI leg.

Language Panel Note: To ensure seamless global access for international sports enthusiasts and search index crawlers, our publication portal features a dedicated multi-language panel. Readers can instantly toggle the entire article across nine major languages—including English, Hindi (हिंदी: पाकिस्तान महिला बनाम श्रीलंका महिला), Tamil (தமிழ்), Malayalam (മലയാളം), Telugu (తెలుగు), Bengali (বাংলা), Marathi (मराठी), Gujarati (ગુજરાતી), and Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ).

1. Tour Context: Transition, Strategy, and Squad Overhauls

The bilateral series between pakistan vs sri lanka represents a critical transitional phase for both nations as they calibrate their rosters for long-term development. Following a hard-fought three-match One Day International (ODI) series at Hambantota—where Sri Lanka mounted a impressive comeback to win 2-1 after dropping the opening game—both teams relocated to Dambulla for the short-format T20I battle.

                    [ Pakistan Women Tour of Sri Lanka 2026 ]
                                      │
                                      ▼
                   [ 3-Match ODI Series at Hambantota ]
              (Sri Lanka won 2-1 after losing opening match)
                                      │
                                      ▼
                   [ Relocation to Dambulla for T20Is ]
                                      │
                                      ▼
          ┌───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────┐
          ▼                                                       ▼
  [ Pakistan T20I Squad ]                         [ Sri Lanka T20I Squad ]
  • Muneeba Ali (Stand-in Capt)                    • Chamari Athapaththu (Capt)
  • 8 Squad Changes vs World Cup                   • Retained Experienced Core
  • 3 Potential Debutants                         • Uncapped Sanjana & Praboda Call-ups

A. Muneeba Ali’s Leadership Responsibility

With regular white-ball captain Fatima Sana departing for England following the ODI series to fulfill her commitments in The Hundred tournament, wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali was handed the captaincy armband for the T20I leg. Muneeba, who holds the distinction of being Pakistan’s first female T20I centurion, leads an experimental 15-member squad featuring eight structural changes from the preceding World Cup roster. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) explicitly framed this tour as an opportunity to integrate young talent, introducing uncapped prospects such as Eman Naseer and Maham Anees into the international arena.

Speaking ahead of the series opener, Muneeba outlined her team's aggressive tactical mindset:
"It is an honor to lead Pakistan at any given opportunity. We have a number of young and up-and-coming players in this T20I squad, and our clear objective is to compete hard in Dambulla and finish the tour on a high. We know Sri Lanka is a formidable side at home, but our focus is on executing our plans with clarity."

Imesha Dulani driving through the off-side during her match-winning 101-run innings

B. Sri Lanka’s Blend of Experience and Youth

Under the seasoned leadership of chamari athapaththu, Sri Lanka Women entered the T20I series riding momentum from their record-breaking ODI chase of 275 runs earlier in the week. While maintaining an established core featuring Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Kavisha Dilhari, the national selection committee introduced fresh blood. In headline team news, uncapped Sanjana, Praboda earn SL call-ups for Pakistan T20Is, alongside 19-year-old fast bowler Rashmika Sewwandi. Left-arm spinner Chamudi Praboda, aged just 17, was named directly in the XI for the 1st T20I, providing strategic variation on the dry Dambulla surface.

2. Match Report: Detailed Inning-by-Inning Analysis

A. Pakistan Inning: Zulfiqar and Muneeba Set Up a Strong Total

After winning the toss under clear skies at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu elected to field first, anticipating that dew might affect the pitch during the second half of the match.

Pakistan's opening pair of Shawaal Zulfiqar and Muneeba Ali initiated an immediate assault on Sri Lanka’s new-ball bowlers. Muneeba set the tone in the second over, striking three consecutive boundaries off Sugandika Kumari through the off-side gap. Zulfiqar joined the charge, targeting young seamer Rashmika Sewwandi with crisp lofted drives. The pair brought up Pakistan’s 50-run partnership inside 5.2 overs, recording the team's highest Powerplay score in T20Is this year.

• The Break-through: Debutant spinner Chamudi Praboda broke the 72-run opening stand in the 8th over, trapping Muneeba Ali (42 off 24 balls) LBW with an arm-ball that slid through straight.
• Zulfiqar’s Half-Century: Zulfiqar continued her rhythm, reaching her maiden T20I fifty off just 32 balls. Her strokeplay included ten boundaries and a straight six over long-on off Kavisha Dilhari.
• Middle-Order Stumble: Sri Lanka clawed back through middle overs via controlled spells from Sugandika Kumari (1/30) and Kavisha Dilhari (2/36). Quick wickets of Eyman Fatima (5) and Saira Jabeen (13) threatened to derail the innings, but lower-order strikes from Ayesha Zafar (17 off 11) pushed Pakistan to a total of 176/7.

       Powerplay Charge: Zulfiqar & Muneeba construct 72-run opening stand
                                        │
                                        ▼
        Praboda Strikes: Uncapped spinner traps Muneeba (42) LBW
                                        │
                                        ▼
        Zulfiqar Fifty: Reaches milestone off 32 balls; accelerates to 63
                                        │
                                        ▼
        Late Surges: Ayesha Zafar (17) pushes final score to 176/7

B. Sri Lanka Inning: Dulani’s Masterclass Seals Record Chase

Chasing 177 at an required run rate of 8.85 runs per over, Sri Lanka required a flying start. Captain Chamari Athapaththu provided immediate momentum, bludgeoning 39 runs off 22 balls—including five fours and two towering sixes—in a blistering opening partnership with imesha dulani.

When Athapaththu was caught at mid-off off Nashra Sandhu in the 6th over, Pakistan briefly harbored hopes of forcing a collapse. However, Imesha Dulani produced one of the most dominant individual batting displays in Sri Lankan women's cricket history.

       Athapaththu Blitz: 39 off 22 balls establishes 61-run Powerplay foundation
                                        │
                                        ▼
        Dulani Takes Over: Reaches fifty off 34 balls; targets spin attack
                                        │
                                        ▼
        Crucial Partnerships: Combined stands with Gunaratne & Samarawickrama
                                        │
                                        ▼
        Historic Century: Reaches 100 off 63 balls with 17 fours & 1 six
                                        │
                                        ▼
        Victory Secured: Nilakshi de Silva strikes winning boundary in 19th over

• Dulani’s Acceleration: The 24-year-old right-hander showcased remarkable field placement awareness, repeatedly sweeping and pulling Pakistan’s spinners through vacant boundary sectors. She reached her half-century off 34 balls before elevating her scoring rate.
• Tackling the Spin Threat: Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu (2/25) was the sole Pakistani bowler to maintain control, but Dulani neutralized Umme Hani (1/37) and Humna Bilal (1/38) with authoritative boundary hitting.
• The Century Moment: In the 18th over, Dulani drove Momina Riasat through extra cover for her 17th boundary, completing a 63-ball century to become only the second Sri Lankan woman (after Athapaththu) to register a T20I hundred.
• The Finish: Though Dulani fell on 101 with three runs required, Nilakshi de Silva sealed the 6-wicket triumph with a boundary off the final ball of the 19th over.

3. Player Profiles and Tactical Breakthroughs

4. Complete Match Scorecard and Statistical Breakdown

Pakistan Women Innings (176/7 in 20.0 Overs)

Sri Lanka Women Bowling Figures

Sri Lanka Women Innings (177/4 in 19.0 Overs)

Pakistan Women Bowling Figures

5. Head-to-Head Record and Historical Context

6. Global Access: Leveraging the Portal’s Multi-Language Panel

What You Need to Know (Key Takeaways)

• Match Result: Sri Lanka Women defeated Pakistan Women by 6 wickets in the 1st T20I at Dambulla, chasing down 177 in 19.0 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
• Player of the Match: Imesha Dulani struck a historic maiden T20I century (101 off 64 balls with 17 fours and 1 six), anchoring Sri Lanka's highest successful run-chase in T20Is.
• Pakistan’s Batting Effort: A newly structured Muneeba-led Pakistan posted 176/7 in 20 overs, supported by Shawaal Zulfiqar’s 63 off 41 balls and Muneeba Ali’s 42 off 24 balls.
• Key Bowlers: Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu was Pakistan’s most effective bowler with 2/25 in 4 overs, while Sri Lanka’s 17-year-old debutant Chamudi Praboda claimed 1/29.
• Upcoming Schedule: The 2nd T20I will be played on August 2, 2026, followed by the 3rd T20I on August 4, 2026, both hosted at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.