Sahibzada Farhan stole the show and showed his prowess with the bat yet again. He was a man on a mission and he got Fakhar Zaman as an opener for company scoring 84 off 42 balls as the duo put on 176 runs for the first wicket. Sri Lanka came back well with the ball in last 5 overs to keep Pakistan to 212. But Pakistan should win this match easily. Can they keep the Lankans down to 147 or less? Only time will tell.
Sahibzada Farhan powers Pakistan to a rollicking start in powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman opened the batting for Pakistan while Dilshan Madushanka opened the bowling for Sri Lanka. Fakhar then stepped out and slogged it through midwicket for a boundary. Dushmantha Chameera took the ball from the other end. Farhan got into the act as he opened the bat face and punched it through cover point for a boundary.
Madushanka continued as Farhan was on the charge as stepped out and stayed leg side of the ball and lofted it over top of covers for a boundary. Farhan took on Madushanka and pumped it down the ground over long-off for the maximum. Maheesh Theekshana came into the attack next. Farhan hammered the ball through covers for a boundary. Fakhar then danced down the track and clubbed it over long-off for the maximum.
Chameera changed ends as Farhan cleared his front leg and launched it over long-on for the maximum. Farhan then caressed the ball through the covers creaming it between extra cover and mid-off for a boundary. The 50 came up for Pakistan in 4.5 overs. Farhan soon equalled Virat Kohli’s record of most runs in a tournament. Captain Dasun Shanaka came into the attack next as Farhan pulled it away towards deep backward square leg for a boundary as the record was achieved by Farhan.
Fakhar got a lifeline as Theekshana at cover point dropped a tough catch leaping up in the air as the ball ran away to the fence for a boundary. Fakhar then stepped out and slapped it through covers for a boundary. Pakistan reached 64/0 in 6 overs of powerplay with Zaman unbeaten on 23 off 11 balls while Farhan was fabulous for his unbeaten 40 off 25 balls. Players took Drinks Break.
Fakhar Zaman & Sahibzada Farhan decimated Sri Lanka in middle overs.Â
Maheesh Theekshana returned to the attack after the break as Fakhar stepped out and slammed it over covers for a boundary. Dunith Wellalage came into the attack next. Farhan then rocked back and cut it off the stumps and gets it past right of backward point for a boundary. Shanaka continued as Farhan with a brace completed his fifty in 32 balls and continued his consisten run. Some terrible fielding happened from Sri Lanka.
Fakhar then waited for it and cut the ball away past diving backward point for a boundary. Wellalage continued as Fakhar got underneath it and thumped it over extra covers for a boundary. The 100-run stand came up between the two players and for the team in 9.5 overs. At the end of 10 overs, Pakistan were flying high at 102/0 in 10 overs. Theekshana continued and could have got Zaman here. But the umpire said no and DRS was not taken and there was an inside edge to the keeper.
Wellalage continued as Farhan got underneath it and smashed it over long-on for the maximum. Zaman brought up his fifty in style as he went deep in the crease and slogged it off the inner half of the bat through vacant deep backward square leg for a boundary as the fifty came off 27 balls. Zaman then opened his stance and slogged it in front of square for the maximum.
Theekshana continued as Zaman got a full toss and launched it down the ground for the maximum over long-off. Theekshana finished wicketless. Janith Liyanage came into the attack next. Fakhar showed innovation as Liyanage bowled a good length delivery on off-stump as Fakhar shuffled across the stumps and got low to scoop it over short fine leg for the maximum. Zaman then walked across the off-side and got into the position to pull it to deep square leg for a boundary. The 150 came up for Pakistan in 14 overs with 10 wickets in hand as we paused it for the Drinks Break.
Dasun Shanaka came back into the attack as Farhan slapped it away straight over the bowler’s head for the maximum. Zaman showed his cleverness as he got inside the line and pulled it over short fine leg for a boundary. Farhan then pulled it flat and hard towards long-on as Wellalage moved to his left and got both hands to it and dropped the catch. Farhan was batting at 75 at this stage. Pakistan reached 163/0 in 15 overs. Zaman was unbeaten on 84 off 41 balls while Farhan was unbeaten on 76 off 49 balls. Sri Lanka looking at a big score in front of them.
Sri Lanka takes flurry of wickets in back 5 overs to keep Pakistan to 212/8 in 20 overs.Â
Dushmantha Chameera returned to the attack as Farhan was on a roll as Farhan hit through the line and went over long-off for the maximum. Farhan carved it away over covers for a boundary. Finally, the Sri Lankans got their first wicket as he dismissed Farhan for 84 off 42 balls with 9 fours and 4 sixes to his name as the inside edge went back into the stumps. Khawaja Nafay came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Dilshan Madushanka came back into the attack and he removed Nafay for 2 off 3 balls as he was holed out at long-on. Shadab Khan came out to bat next and got off the mark next. Farhan whipped it away past wide long-on for a boundary. Dushmantha Chameera bowled the last over as the Lankans wasted a review on Shadab for LBW. Shadab then went deep in the crease and sliced it behind square for a boundary. Farhan stepped across and belted it down the ground for a boundary to mid-off. Then Shadab Khan was run out for 7 off 5 balls.
Mohammad Nawaz came out to bat next. Farhan got to yet another superlative ton. Nawaz then fell to Shanaka for a golden duck. Salman Ali Agha came out to bat next. Salman also came and went for a silver duck. Usman Khan came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary and got a top edge over short fine leg for a boundary.
Dilshan Madushanka came to bowl the final over of the innings and removed Farhan for 100 off 60 balls with 9 fours and 5 sixes to his name as Liyanage took the catch. Shaheen Afridi came out to bat next and Afridi gets it past short fine leg for a boundary. Madushanka then removed Afridi for 4 off 2 balls with one boundary to his name as he was trapped in front and the batter reviewed in hope and burnt it as well. Naseem Shah came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. There was another run out in the innings as Naseem fell for 1 off 1 ball.
Abrar Ahmed came out to bat next as Usman got a brace to end the innings. Usman remained unbeaten on 8 off 4 balls with one four to his name. Abrar was unbeaten on 0 off 0 balls. 6 extras given by the fielding side as Pakistan finished with 212/8 in 20 overs.
Sri Lanka came back well with the ball with Dilshan Madushanka finished with 3/33 in 4 overs. Dushmantha Chameera finished with 1/48 in 4 overs. Dasun Shanaka finished with 2/42 in 4 overs. Maheesh Theekshana finished with 0/35 in 4 overs. Dunith Wellalage finished with 0/37 in 3 overs. Janith Liyanage finished with 0/14 in 1 over. So, Sri Lanka now needed 213 for the win. Most importantly, Pakistan now has to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less to qualify for the semis.
Who’s Winning, Pakistan or Sri Lanka?Â
Pakistan have got a huge score on the board getting to 212/8 but it could have been worse where they were after 15 overs. Sri Lanka came back well to keep them under 220. As far as match goes, Pakistan should win this easily. But the magic number is 147. Sri Lanka needs 148 runs to knock Pakistan out of the tournament. Can Pakistan restrict Sri Lanka to under 147 and go into the semis? Only time will tell.
Let’s see how the chase unfolds from here.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Pakistan Gets Off To A Lightning Start In Big Game.