Pakistan chased down Sri Lanka’s target of 129 runs for the loss of just 3 wickets, wrapping up the match on the third ball of the 16th over. The victory was spearheaded by an explosive, unbeaten innings from opener Saim Ayub’s partner, Sahibzada Farhan, who hammered 80 runs off just 45 balls.
His dominant innings included 5 sixes and 6 fours, single-handedly ensuring the hosts’ easy win. Other Pakistani batters contributed smaller scores: Saim Ayub made 20, Babar Azam scored 16, while captain Salman Ali Agha went out for a duck.
Wicketkeeper Usman Khan remained not out with 5 runs. Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera took 2 wickets, and Dasun Shanaka took 1.
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first, setting a modest total of 128 runs for 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Janith Liyanage was the top scorer for the visiting team with an unbeaten 41 runs.
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Kusal Perera added 25, Kamindu Mendis scored 22, Pathum Nissanka made 17, and Wanindu Hasaranga chipped in 11. However, key batters Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis managed only 3 runs each, while captain Dasun Shanaka was dismissed without scoring.
Pakistan’s bowling attack kept the Sri Lankan total in check. Mohammad Nawaz was the most effective bowler, sending 3 players back to the pavilion. Faheem Ashraf and Salman Mirza also contributed, taking one wicket each.
This win marks Pakistan’s second consecutive victory in the Tri-Nation Series. The hosts kicked off their campaign by defeating Zimbabwe by 5 wickets. In the second match of the series, Zimbabwe secured their first win by defeating Sri Lanka by a huge margin of 67 runs, setting up an intriguing fight for the final.
The aggressive and high-impact performance by Sahibzada Farhan at the top order showcases Pakistan’s growing depth in T20 batting, moving beyond reliance on traditional star players. If the middle order can consistently support such fiery starts, Pakistan looks formidable going into the later stages of the tournament.
