PAK vs SL Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan Knocked Out Despite Thrilling Win Over Sri Lanka.
In a heart-wrenching twist at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on February 28, 2026, Pakistan secured a narrow five-run victory over Sri Lanka in their Super Eights clash of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
However, the win proved bittersweet as it wasn't enough to propel them into the semifinals. New Zealand advanced instead, courtesy of a superior net run rate (NRR). Both Pakistan and New Zealand finished with three points in Group 2, but Pakistan's NRR fell short after Sri Lanka managed to surpass the crucial 147-run mark during their chase of 213.
This match, the 50th of the tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, encapsulated the drama of T20 cricket: explosive batting, tactical bowling, and a nail-biting finish that left fans on the edge of their seats.
The stakes were sky-high for Pakistan going into this encounter. To qualify, they not only needed to win but also restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or fewer runs to overtake New Zealand's NRR. Sri Lanka, already eliminated from semifinal contention, played the role of spoilers to perfection. Under the floodlights in Kandy, with a partisan home crowd roaring, the Lankans nearly pulled off an improbable chase, falling just short at 207/6. Pakistan's total of 212/8 was their highest in T20 World Cup history, built on a record-breaking opening stand, but it was Dasun Shanaka's heroic unbeaten 76 off 31 balls that stole the show and sealed Pakistan's fate.
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026 - Pakistan knocked out, NZ through to semi-finals.
Pre-Match Build-Up and Team Strategies
The Super Eights stage had been a rollercoaster for both teams. Pakistan, led by Salman Agha, entered the match with a must-win mindset after mixed results in earlier games. Their campaign had been bolstered by consistent performances from openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, but bowling inconsistencies had plagued them. Sri Lanka, captained by the experienced Dasun Shanaka, were out of the running but aimed to end their home leg on a high note. The pitch at Pallekele, known for assisting seamers early and spinners later, with dew potentially playing a factor in the second innings, influenced the toss decision.
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to exploit early conditions and chase under lights. Pakistan made one change, bringing in leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for added variety, while Sri Lanka stuck with their spin-heavy attack featuring Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage. The atmosphere was electric, with a sold-out crowd of over 35,000, many waving Sri Lankan flags, creating a cauldron of pressure for the visitors.
Pakistan's Innings: A Blistering Start and a Late Collapse
Pakistan's batting lineup fired on all cylinders initially, thanks to a scintillating opening partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman. The duo set the tone right from the powerplay, amassing 64 runs without loss in the first six overs. Farhan, in particular, was aggressive from the outset, punishing loose deliveries from Dilshan Madushanka and Dushmantha Chameera. He reached his fifty off just 32 balls, including six fours and two sixes, showcasing his ability to dominate both pace and spin.Fakhar Zaman complemented Farhan perfectly, rotating the strike and unleashing his trademark pulls and drives. The pair brought up Pakistan's 50 in the fifth over and their 100-run stand in the 10th. By drinks at the 6-over mark, Pakistan were 64/0, and the momentum continued. Fakhar reached his fifty off 27 balls, peppered with seven fours and a six. Their 176-run opening wicket partnership shattered the T20 World Cup record for any wicket, surpassing the 175 by New Zealand's Tim Seifert and Finn Allen in a previous edition. It was also Pakistan's highest in the tournament, eclipsing the 152 by Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in 2021.
The Lankan bowlers struggled to find breakthroughs. Madushanka and Chameera were expensive, conceding 33 and 48 runs respectively in their four overs each. Theekshana and Wellalage tried to stem the flow but were hit for boundaries. Janith Liyanage's solitary over went for 14, highlighting Sri Lanka's lack of control.
The turning point came in the 16th over when Chameera finally broke through, bowling Fakhar for 84 off 42 balls with a low full toss that the batsman chopped onto his stumps. Farhan continued his assault, reaching his century off 59 balls – his second in the tournament, making him the first player to achieve this feat in a single T20 World Cup. He finished with 100 off 60, including nine fours and five sixes, breaking the record for most runs in a single edition with 383 runs.
However, Pakistan's innings unraveled dramatically in the death overs. From 176/0 in 15.5 overs, they slumped to 212/8, losing eight wickets for just 36 runs. Khawaja Nafay (2) was caught at long-on off Madushanka, Shadab Khan (7) was run out attempting a quick double, Mohammad Nawaz (0) and Salman Agha (0) fell in quick succession to Shanaka, and Farhan was caught at cover off Madushanka. Shaheen Shah Afridi (4) was lbw, and Naseem Shah (1) was run out. Usman Khan remained not out on 8, but the collapse prevented Pakistan from reaching a potential 240-250.
Madushanka was the pick of the bowlers with 3/33, while Shanaka claimed 2/42. The innings highlighted Pakistan's top-heavy batting and vulnerability in the lower order, a recurring issue in their campaign.
Pakistan Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | 100 | 60 | 9 | 5 | 166.66 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 84 | 42 | 9 | 4 | 200.00 |
| Khawaja Nafay | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 |
| Shadab Khan | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140.00 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Salman Agha (c) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Usman Khan † | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Naseem Shah | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 0* | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Extras | 6 | (lb 3, w 3) | | | |
| Total | 212/8 (20 overs) | | | | |
Fall of wickets: 1-176 (Zaman, 15.5), 2-179 (Nafay, 16.3), 3-198 (Shadab, 17.6), 4-199 (Nawaz, 18.2), 5-199 (Agha, 18.4), 6-203 (Farhan, 19.1), 7-207 (Afridi, 19.3), 8-210 (Naseem, 19.5).
Sri Lanka v Pakistan | Match Highlights | Men's T20 World Cup 2026
Sri Lanka's Chase: From Despair to Near Glory
Chasing 213, Sri Lanka needed a strong start, but Pakistan's pacers struck early. Naseem Shah dismissed Pathum Nissanka for 3 in the second over, caught at extra cover off a yorker. Kamil Mishara provided some impetus with 26 off 15 (four fours, one six), but Abrar Ahmed bowled him with a skidding delivery in the fifth over. Sri Lanka ended the powerplay at 49/2.
Charith Asalanka (25 off 18) and Pavan Rathnayake steadied the ship with a 42-run stand, but Abrar struck again, bowling Asalanka through the gate in the ninth over. Kamindu Mendis (3) fell to Abrar's googly, and Janith Liyanage (5) was bowled by Nawaz, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 101/5 after 12 overs. At this stage, Pakistan seemed poised to restrict them well below 147.
Enter Dasun Shanaka and Pavan Rathnayake. The duo launched a counterattack, adding 61 runs for the sixth wicket. Rathnayake reached his fifty – his second in T20Is – with two sixes in three balls off Usman Tariq. Shanaka smashed sixes off Nawaz and Shadab, reaching his fifty in 24 balls. Crucially, their partnership took Sri Lanka past 148 in the 16th over, effectively ending Pakistan's semifinal hopes. The crowd erupted as misfields and boundaries flowed.
Rathnayake fell for 58 off 37 (four fours, three sixes), caught at long-on by substitute Saim Ayub off Shaheen Afridi in the 18th over. With 51 needed off 15 balls, Shanaka kept fighting. He smashed two sixes off Shadab in the 19th over (one 99m straight) to reduce the equation to 28 off the final over, bowled by Afridi.
The last over was pure drama: Shanaka started with a four over short third, followed by three consecutive sixes – over deep square leg, inside-out over extra cover, and another powerful hit. Sri Lanka needed six off two balls. Shanaka missed a scoop on the fifth, and left the sixth – a yorker – thinking it was wide, but it wasn't called. Sri Lanka finished at 207/6, Shanaka unbeaten on 76 (two fours, eight sixes). Abrar was Pakistan's star bowler with 3/23, while Afridi (1/48) and Naseem (1/36) provided support.
Sri Lanka Batting Scorecard
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.85 |
| Kamil Mishara † | 26 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 173.33 |
| Charith Asalanka | 25 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 138.88 |
| Pavan Rathnayake | 58 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 156.75 |
| Kamindu Mendis | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Janith Liyanage | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.66 |
| Dasun Shanaka (c) | 76* | 31 | 2 | 8 | 245.16 |
| Dunith Wellalage | 2* | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 |
| Extras | 9 | (lb 3, w 6) | | | |
| Total | 207/6 (20 overs) | |
Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Nissanka, 1.3), 2-33 (Mishara, 4.1), 3-75 (Asalanka, 8.5), 4-94 (Mendis, 10.6), 5-101 (Liyanage, 11.6), 6-162 (Rathnayake, 17.3).
Right side-
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Super 8 Highlights 🏏 ICC T20 WC 2026 | Pak vs SL
Key Moments That Defined the MatchRecord Opening Stand: Farhan and Zaman's 176-run partnership set the foundation, but Pakistan's failure to capitalize fully proved costly.
Abrar's Spin Magic: The leg-spinner's 3/23, including key wickets of Mishara, Asalanka, and Mendis, kept Pakistan in the hunt.
Crossing the NRR Threshold: Shanaka and Rathnayake's aggressive batting took Sri Lanka to 148 in the 16th over, dashing Pakistan's hopes. A six over wide long-on by Shanaka was the moment the crowd knew Pakistan were out.
Shanaka's Last-Over Onslaught: Facing Afridi, Shanaka's 4-6-6-6 sequence brought Sri Lanka within six runs, but the missed scoop and non-wide call sealed the win for Pakistan.
Farhan's Century: His 100 not only won him Player of the Match but also etched his name in T20 World Cup history.
Post-Match Reactions and Social Buzz
Pakistan captain Salman Agha expressed disappointment: "We gave it our all, but NRR is cruel. Proud of the boys for the win, but gutted about the exit." Shanaka, despite the loss, was upbeat: "We fought hard and nearly got there. This is for our fans."
On X (formerly Twitter), the match trended globally. The ICC posted highlights in Urdu, garnering thousands of views. Fans like @MSDianMrigu shared clips, calling it "a thriller." Cricket accounts like @globalcricinfo provided full recaps, emphasizing top moments.
HIGHLIGHTS PAK vs SL T20 World Cup 2026, Super 8 | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Full Scorecard Live | Sahibzada Farhan, Dasun Shanaka shine.
A Bitter Pill for Pakistan, Glory for New Zealand
Pakistan's campaign ended in agony, despite their highest T20 World Cup total and a win. Their inability to restrict Sri Lanka below 147 meant New Zealand, who had already completed their matches, advanced to the semifinals. For Sri Lanka, the near-chase was a moral victory, showcasing resilience. The match will be remembered for its high scores, records, and the dramatic finale – a testament to why T20 cricket captivates millions.
As the tournament progresses, eyes now turn to the semifinals featuring New Zealand and other qualifiers. For Pakistan, it's back to the drawing board, but with talents like Farhan, there's hope for future glory."T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights standings" 
Comments
Post a Comment