Pakistan edged past Sri Lanka by five runs in a last-ball thriller. It was the 10th match of the Super Eight round of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy.

After being invited to bat first, Pakistan posted a huge total of 212/8 in 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan a solid start. They put together a 176-run stand for the first wicket. Sahibzada Farhan scored his second century, while Fakhar Zaman smashed a blazing 84 runs off just 42 balls.

When Fakhar Zaman was dismissed in the 16th over, Pakistan started losing wickets. The team lost seven more wickets in the last four overs. Dilshan Madhushanka (3/33 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler, while Dasun Shanaka took two wickets.

While chasing, Sri Lanka lost two early wickets in the powerplay. However, Pavan Rathnayake and Dasun Shanaka turned the game around with aggressive power-hitting. The blazing knock played by Dasun Shanaka brought Sri Lanka very close to the target. Sri Lanka needed six runs off the last two balls, but both deliveries resulted in dot balls, and Sri Lanka lost the match by five runs. Abrar Ahmed (3/23 in 4 overs) remained the most successful bowler for Pakistan, while Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Nawaz took one wicket each.

Although Pakistan won the match, they were eliminated from the tournament. New Zealand advanced to the semifinals on the basis of a better net run rate.

Farhan’s Record and Pakistan’s Struggle

Sahibzada Farhan scored a record-breaking hundred, while Fakhar Zaman smashed 84 off 42 balls to give Pakistan a five-run win over Sri Lanka at Pallekele. Despite the win, Pakistan missed out on the T20 World Cup semi-finals. New Zealand became the second team from Group 2 to qualify for the knockouts.

Pakistan had needed to win by at least 65 runs to advance. They made three changes to their playing XI, dropping Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, and Salman Mirza for Khawaja Nafay, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed. Opening with Farhan and Fakhar, the pair added a massive 176 runs in 15.5 overs, setting a new record for the highest partnership in T20 World Cup history, surpassing Finn Allen and Tim Seifert’s 175-run stand against UAE.

Farhan scored his second century of the tournament, a feat no other player has achieved in a single T20 World Cup edition. He also broke Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs in a single edition, finishing with 383 runs.

Pakistan’s Late Wicket Losses

After the strong start, Pakistan struggled in the final overs. They scored only 35 runs while losing seven wickets in the last four overs, finishing at 212 for 8. To qualify, they needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less. Despite Abrar Ahmed taking three wickets, Sri Lanka crossed the target in the 16th over.

Dasun Shanaka led a dramatic finish. When Shaheen Afridi bowled the last over, Sri Lanka needed 28 runs. Shanaka hit consecutive boundaries, leaving six runs needed from the final delivery. Afridi bowled full and wide deliveries, but the umpire deemed them legal, ending the match in a tense finish.

Record-Breaking Opening Stand

Farhan and Fakhar played aggressively from the start. Fakhar hit a four off his second ball, while Farhan launched Dushmantha Chameera for a four and six in the third over. The duo took Pakistan to 64 without loss by the end of the powerplay.

They continued scoring quickly after the powerplay. Farhan reached his fifty first, followed by Fakhar in just 27 balls. Fielding lapses also helped Pakistan, with Farhan dropped on 75 and 76 before Chameera finally dismissed him. Fakhar fell for 84 as Pakistan lost momentum in the later overs.

Early Wickets by Naseem and Abrar

Naseem Shah made an immediate impact in his first match, dismissing Pathum Nissanka in just three balls. Abrar Ahmed also struck early, sending back Kamil Mishara and Charith Asalanka to end the powerplay at 49 for 2. Abrar later removed Kamindu Mendis and Janith Liyanage, briefly giving Pakistan hope.

Brief Scorecard