Pakistan’s right-handed opener Sahibzada Farhan put on a show for the ages as his breath-taking 73 off 41 balls alongside cameos from other players powered Pakistan to a massive 190/9 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Farhan was a beast and looked a man possessed under the lights in Colombo. Babar and Shadab too played well. For USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk was the pick of the bowlers with 4/25 in 4 overs. The other USA bowlers struggled to a degree.
Pakistan on top and should win this easily and go top of Group A standings.
Pakistan gets off to a rolicking start despite losing 2 wickets in the last over of powerplay
Put into bat first, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub came out to bat for Pakistan while Saurabh Netravalkar had ball in hand for USA. Ayub made his intentions clear as he came down the track and launched it over long-on for the maximum down the ground. Ayub survived a LBW scare as Umpire’s call saved the batter here. Ehsan Adil had ball in hand from the other end. Farhan took the attack to him by hammering consecutive boundaries through midwicket and then through third man. The third boundary of the over came through extra cover.
Netravalkar continued as Ayub went big by pulling it over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Farhan joined the fun as he heaved it over cow corner for the maximum. Shadley van Schalkwyk came onto bowl next. Ayub got an outside edge that ran away to the third man fence. Shadley then induced a false stroke and the ball evaded the cover fielder Monank for a brace. Milind Kumar came into the attack next. Farhan was on a roll as he cleared long-off for the maximum.
Farhan then got a full toss on the legs as Farhan got it away for a boundary to fine leg fence. Farhan once again went big and went over long-off for the maximum. Pakistan were 54/0 in 5 overs. Shadley came to bowl the final over of powerplay and removed Ayub for 19 off 17 balls with one four and two sixes to his name as the edge off a slower ball carried to short third fielder. Salman Ali Agha came into bat after Drinks and got off the mark.
Shadley got another as he removed Salman the captain for 1 off 3 balls as the swivel pull off a short ball was taken by the deep backward square leg fielder. Babar Azam came out to bat next with Pakistan at 56/2 in 6 overs with Farhan batting on 35* off 16 balls and Babar just came to the crease.
Sahibzada Farhan’s powerful half-century drives Pakistan forward in middle overs
Mohammad Mohsin came into the attack post the powerplay and bowled a tidy over. Harmeet Singh came into the attack as well and he too bowled a decent over. Mohsin continued as Farhan broke the shackles by going big over deep midwicket for the maximum. Ehsan Adil came back into the attack and bowled a no ball and the free hit yielded a single only. Farhan reached his fifty off 27 balls, his maiden fifty in World Cup and 9th in T20Is. Pakistan reached 85/2 in 10 overs at the halfway stage of the innings.
Harmeet Singh returned to the attack and bowled a decent over. Mohammad Mohsin returned as Farhan broke the shackles by going down on one knee and went over midwicket for the maximum. The 100 came up for Pakistan in 11.5 overs. Harmeet continued and Babar joined the party as he cleared his front leg and pulled over midwicket for the maximum. The 50-run stand came up between the duo. Babar then swatted it away with a pull through midwicket for a boundary.
Babar was on a roll now as he rocked back and cut it away to backward point for a boundary. Farhan joined in the fun as well as he thumped the ball through deep extra cover for a boundary. Shadley returned to the attack as Babar placed it by pulling towards midwicket region for a boundary. Pakistan reached 133/2 in 14 overs when Drinks was called into the field, the second drinks of the innings.
Mohammad Mohsin returned to bowl his final over after the break as Babar got down on one knee and swept it behind square for a boundary. But the bowler Mohsin hit back and got rid of Babar for 46 off 32 balls with 4 fours and one six to his name as he rocked back and flat batted it down the ground and the mistimed shot went to the long-on fielder where Milind took the catch. Mohammad Nawaz came out to bat next and was given a lifeline as Gous failed to hold onto the tough chance standing up to Mohsin.
Pakistan were 137/3 in 15 overs with Farhan unbeaten on 68 off 37 balls while Nawaz was with him 0 off 2 balls as we were set for a brilliant last 5 overs of the innings.
Late order flurry amidst a flurry of wickets helps Pakistan post 190/9
Harmeet Singh continued as Farhan smashed him down the ground over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Harmeet came back in the end as he picked up the wicket of Farhan for a well-made 73 off 41 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes to his name as he was holed out at long-off. Shadab Khan came to the crease and got off the mark with a brace. Saurabh Netravalkar returned and bowled a no ball. But the free hit yielded a dot ball.
USA burnt a review against Shadab Khan as there was an inside edge on LBW appeal as USA burnt their reviews. Shadab launched it away over deep midwicket for the maximum. The 150 came up for Pakistan in 16.5 overs. Ehsan Adil came returned to the attack as Shadab helped it away past short fine leg for a boundary. Shadab tore apart Adil as he creamed it through the covers and then cut it past backward point as well.
Shadley came back into the attack as Shadab hit him for a boundary with a pull through deep midwicket for a boundary. Shadley then struck for USA as he removed Shadab for 30 off 12 balls with 4 fours and one six to his name as the keeper took the high catch. Faheem Ashraf came to the middle and got off the mark straightaway. Shadley got another as he removed Faheem Ashraf for 1 off 2 balls as he went for the big one and was holed out as well. Usman Khan came to the crease next.
Netravalkar came to bowl the last over of the innings and he removed Nawaz for 5 off 10 balls who was struggling in the middle. Shaheen Afridi came to the crease next. Then there was a run out in the innings as Usman was run out for a golden duck. Abrar Ahmed came to the middle next. Afridi went big and cleared long-off down the ground for the maximum. Abrar was run out off the last ball of the innings while trying to get the extra run as Pakistan ended with 190/9 in 20 overs. Afridi remained unbeaten on 9 off 4 balls with a six to his name. 6 extras given by the fielding side.
Shadley van Schalkwyk was the pick of the bowlers for USA with figures of 4/25 in 4 overs. Mohammad Mohsin bowled well for his 1/27 in 4 overs. Saurabh Netravalkar finished with 1/40 in 4 overs. Harmeet Singh finished with 1/41 in 4 overs. Ehsan Adil bowled 3 overs for 39 runs while Milind Kumar’s only over went for 16 runs. So, USA now needs 191 runs to win the contest.
Who’s Winning, Pakistan or USA?Â
Pakistan has posted a daunting total thanks to Sahibzada Farhan’s brilliant innings of 73 runs off 41 balls as 190/9 looks a humongous total. USA has to bat out of their skins to cause an upset. We reckon Pakistan to win easily and go top of Group A. Let’s see how the chase unfolds from here.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Sahibzada Farhan Gives Pakistan A Quick Start