In the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by five runs in a thrilling match but were still eliminated from the tournament.
Earlier, the Pakistan cricket team was knocked out of the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
In the Super 8 match played in Kandy, the Sri Lanka national cricket team captain won the toss and elected to field first.
Batting first, Pakistan scored 212 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to explosive innings from Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman.
Pakistan set a challenging target of 213 runs for Sri Lanka, powered by a brilliant century from Sahibzada Farhan.
Ahead of this crucial clash, Pakistan made three changes to their playing XI. Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, and Salman Mirza were dropped, with Naseem Shah, Khawaja Nafi, and Abrar Ahmed coming into the side.
Pakistan now faces a challenging task: they must bowl out Sri Lanka for 147 runs or fewer to qualify for the semi-finals.
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field against Pakistan in their Super 8 encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, being played in Kandy.
The Sri Lankan captain chose to invite Pakistan to bat first in what is a crucial match for Pakistan’s semi-final hopes.
Pakistan have made three changes to their playing XI for the high-stakes clash. Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, and Salman Mirza have been dropped and replaced by Naseem Shah, Khawaja Nafi, and Abrar Ahmed.
With qualification for the semi-finals on the line, Pakistan will need a convincing victory over Sri Lanka. Estimates suggest that a win by at least 65 runs is necessary for Pakistan to advance, while a less decisive result would allow New Zealand to reach the semi-finals with three points.
Meanwhile, England has already secured a place in the semi-finals, while Sri Lanka has been eliminated from contention.
Sahibzada Farhan surpasses Kohli to set new T20 WC record
Pakistan cricket team opener Sahibzada Farhan has become the highest run-scorer in a single edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
He achieved this milestone in a crucial match against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Previously, the record was held by India’s Virat Kohli, who scored 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup.
Sahibzada Farhan has now surpassed the 319-run mark in the 2026 edition of the tournament.
Read more: T20 WC: Pakistan’s hope of reaching semi-finals still alive
