Pakistan make 172-5 in T20 match against Sri Lanka

Pakistan's new Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi smashed 50 off 37 balls to steer the world champions to 172-5 in a T20 international against Sri Lanka here on Wednesday.

Afridi hit two sixes and four boundaries in his maiden game as captain after replacing Test and one-day skipper Younus Khan, who has retired from the shortest format of the game.

A sell-out crowd of 35,000 at the Premadasa stadium watched the first T20 match between the rivals since the World Twenty20 final in England in June, when Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

Pakistan, who elected to bat after winning the toss, lost a wicket off the first ball when Kamran Akmal was bowled by Nuwan Kulasekara after attempting a big heave.

The other opener, Imran Nazir, cracked five fours and a six in his 40 off 28 balls to boost the total as Pakistan moved to 59-3 by the eighth over.

Teenager Umar Akmal, who hit a 20-ball 30, put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Afridi.

Abdul Razzaq and Misbah-ul Haq added a quickfire 33 as Pakistan plundered 47 runs in the last five overs to leave Sri Lanka facing a target of 8.7 runs an over.

Sri Lanka clinched the preceding Test series against Pakistan 2-0 and won three of the five one-day internationals.