Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by five runs in a pulsating clash at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on 28 February 2026, but the result carried a bittersweet edge the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard shows Pakistan posting 212 for 8 before restricting Sri Lanka to 207 for 6, yet Pakistan were still eliminated from the semi-final race on net run rate. Anyone searching the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard will find a contest defined by one record-breaking opening stand and one astonishing counterattack that nearly stole the game.
Sahibzada Farhan’s 100 off 60 balls and Fakhar Zaman’s 84 off 42 laid the platform with a 176-run opening partnership, the highest for any wicket in Men’s T20 World Cup history at the time. Sri Lanka fought back through Dasun Shanaka’s furious unbeaten 76 off just 31 deliveries, but Abrar Ahmed’s three wickets and a disciplined finish kept Pakistan’s noses in front. The full Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard, complete with batting, bowling, and key-moment breakdowns, is below.
Match Summary Table
| Team | Runs | Wickets | Overs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan National Cricket Team | 212 | 8 | 20.0 | Won by 5 runs |
| Sri Lanka National Cricket Team | 207 | 6 | 20.0 | Lost by 5 runs |
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first, backing dew to help their chase later in the evening. Pakistan’s openers made that decision look costly for 15 overs, only for a middle-order collapse to hand Sri Lanka a sniff. Shanaka’s late fireworks brought the equation down to almost nothing before Shaheen Shah Afridi held his nerve in the final over to complete the win recorded in this Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team match scorecard.
Batting Highlights Table
Pakistan National Cricket Team Innings
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | 100 | 60 | 9 | 5 | 166.67 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 84 | 42 | 9 | 4 | 200.00 |
| Khawaja Nafay | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Shadab Khan | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140.00 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Salman Ali Agha (c) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Usman Khan (wk) | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Naseem Shah | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Extras | 6 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 212/8 | 120 | 21 | 9 | 176.67 |
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Farhan and Fakhar put on 176 for the first wicket, Pakistan’s highest opening stand in Men’s T20 World Cup history, racing to 64 without loss inside the powerplay. Farhan reached fifty in 32 balls and went on to complete his second century of the tournament, becoming the first batter with two hundreds in a single T20 World Cup edition. The innings then unravelled dramatically: from 198 for 2, Pakistan lost seven wickets for just 14 more runs as Dilshan Madushanka and Dasun Shanaka ran through the middle and lower order.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Innings
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 42.86 |
| Kamil Mishara (wk) | 26 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 173.33 |
| Charith Asalanka | 25 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 138.89 |
| Pavan Rathnayake | 58 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 156.76 |
| Kamindu Mendis | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Janith Liyanage | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Dasun Shanaka (c) | 76 | 31 | 2 | 8 | 245.16 |
| Dunith Wellalage | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Extras | 9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total | 207/6 | 120 | 12 | 14 | 172.50 |
Naseem Shah struck early, removing Nissanka inside two overs, and Abrar Ahmed’s three wickets in the middle overs kept Sri Lanka behind the required rate. Rathnayake’s 58 off 37 held the chase together, and a 61-run sixth-wicket stand with Shanaka a new Sri Lanka record for that wicket in Men’s T20 World Cup play briefly threatened an upset. Shanaka’s 76 off 31, including eight sixes, was the fastest and most destructive innings of the match but arrived a shade too late.
Bowling Figures Table
Sri Lanka Bowling (vs Pakistan)
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dilshan Madushanka | 4.0 | 33 | 3 | 8.25 |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 4.0 | 48 | 1 | 12.00 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4.0 | 35 | 0 | 8.75 |
| Dasun Shanaka | 4.0 | 42 | 2 | 10.50 |
| Dunith Wellalage | 3.0 | 37 | 0 | 12.33 |
| Janith Liyanage | 1.0 | 14 | 0 | 14.00 |
Pakistan Bowling (vs Sri Lanka)
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 4.0 | 48 | 1 | 12.00 |
| Naseem Shah | 4.0 | 36 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 4.0 | 23 | 3 | 5.75 |
| Usman Tariq | 4.0 | 43 | 0 | 10.75 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 2.0 | 21 | 1 | 10.50 |
| Shadab Khan | 2.0 | 33 | 0 | 16.50 |
Madushanka’s late burst three wickets inside the death overs was the difference for Sri Lanka with the ball, while Abrar Ahmed’s economical 4-0-23-3 anchored Pakistan’s defence. Shadab Khan’s expensive two overs and Chameera’s leaky spell were the costliest spells in this Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team match scorecard, and both nearly proved decisive as Sri Lanka closed to within a boundary of the target.
Key Moments & Tactical Analysis
Toss impact: Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field, banking on dew assisting their chase under lights a plan that nearly worked despite conceding 212.
Powerplay momentum: Pakistan’s 64 without loss in the first six overs was their best powerplay return of the tournament and set the tone for the entire innings.
Turning point: Pakistan’s collapse from 198 for 2 to 212 for 8 handed Sri Lanka a target that felt gettable, and Shanaka’s assault very nearly completed the chase.
Captaincy decisions: Salman Ali Agha’s choice to keep Abrar Ahmed for the death overs paid off with three crucial wickets, while Dasun Shanaka’s own counterattacking innings as captain kept Sri Lanka in the hunt until the final over.
Pitch/dew factor: Dew did materialise in the second innings, aiding Sri Lanka’s stroke play, but Pakistan’s spin control through Abrar Ahmed limited the damage just enough.
Key Stats Table
| Metric | Pakistan National Cricket Team | Sri Lanka National Cricket Team |
|---|---|---|
| Total Runs | 212 | 207 |
| Extras | 6 | 9 |
| Boundaries | 30 (21×4, 9×6) | 26 (12×4, 14×6) |
| Run Rate | 10.60 | 10.35 |
Pakistan out-hit Sri Lanka in fours but were matched almost blow-for-blow in sixes, largely thanks to Shanaka’s eight-six blitz. The extras column tells its own story Sri Lanka’s six wides compared to Pakistan’s three proved costly in a match settled by a five-run margin, underlining how fine the gap was between these sides in this Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard.
Head-to-Head Analysis & Historical Rivalry
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have long produced tight, high-scoring T20 World Cup contests, and this latest instalment fit the pattern perfectly. Farhan and Fakhar’s opening stand broke a record that had stood since a New Zealand pairing set it, underlining how far both teams have pushed the format’s boundaries. Sri Lanka’s persistent lower-middle-order power, embodied by Shanaka’s finishing ability, has repeatedly troubled Pakistan in recent meetings, and this match extended that trend even in defeat. Every Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team match in this World Cup cycle has been separated by fewer than ten runs or a handful of balls, cementing the rivalry’s reputation for nail-biting finishes.
Where To Watch Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team
Fans searching for where to watch Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team fixtures should check their regional broadcaster’s official ICC T20 World Cup coverage, as rights vary significantly by territory for live matches, highlights, and full replays.
Match Timeline & Standings Impact
Tracking the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline from ball one shows Pakistan’s openers dominating the first 15 overs before Sri Lanka clawed their way back in the chase’s closing stages. On the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Standings sheet, the result mattered little for Sri Lanka, already out of semi-final contention, but it decided whether Pakistan or New Zealand advanced on net run rate. Fans tracking Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Players across the tournament will note Farhan, Fakhar, and Shanaka were the standout individual performers, while the broader Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Matches series this cycle has consistently produced tight, high-scoring finishes like this one.
Read Also: Pakistan National Cricket Team Vs South Africa National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Conclusion
This result carried unusual weight: Pakistan won the match but still exited the tournament, undone by New Zealand’s superior net run rate after failing to restrict Sri Lanka below the 147 mark needed for semi-final qualification. For Sri Lanka, already eliminated from contention, it was a spirited, almost successful farewell to the group stage. The Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard will be remembered chiefly for Farhan’s historic second century of the event and Shanaka’s blistering unbeaten 76, even as the bigger prize slipped away from Pakistan on a technicality of arithmetic rather than a missed target.
? FAQs
What was the final score?
Pakistan 212/8 beat Sri Lanka 207/6 by 5 runs.
Who was Player of the Match?
Sahibzada Farhan, for his 100 off 60 balls.
Who scored most runs?
Sahibzada Farhan with 100 runs.
Who took most wickets?
Dilshan Madushanka and Abrar Ahmed, with 3 wickets each.
What was the turning point?
Pakistan’s collapse from 198/2 to 212/8, which let Sri Lanka’s chase stay alive deep into the final over.
