When Sri Lanka will compete against Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium on Monday, they will be doing on the back of a realistic win against hosts Pakistan in the first T20I, where Danushka Gunathalika scored a well made 57 to lead 165/5 in 20 overs.

Sri Lanka team bundled out Pakistan for 101 in the 18th over to register an emphatic 64-run win with an inclusive performance.

Fernando and Rajapaksha proved to be the ideal foils to Gunathilaka in the last match, when the Pakistanis raced to 135/2 in the 16th over after having been to put in to by the hosts.

Hansnain’s hat-trick constrained Sri Lanka to 165/7 to stimulate hopes for Pakistan, and in the young bowler they have a stirring talent who has the possibility to provide game changing moments.

Sarfraz Pakistan skipper said before the start of the second match “In T20s we can’t take any team lightly. Credit to them, they kept it tight with the ball and in the field in the middle overs”. “We didn’t have a good day with the ball, but at one stage it looked like they would get to 170-180 and Hasnain brought us back well. God willing, we’ll do well in the next game” he added.

Sri Lanka being in a good form and the possibility of winning the series if they do secure an emphatic win in the match, this has all the made a close encounter.