PAK vs SL Match Highlights Today T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Match Full Scorecard: Shanaka’s Knock in Vain; Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka by 5 Runs But Fail to Reach Semifinals | PAK (212/8) vs SL (207/6)

Pakistan win — but what a finish! Dasun Shanaka almost pulled off the unthinkable. The final two deliveries were spot on from Shaheen Afridi — especially the last one, a low full toss right on the off-side tramline. Shanaka stays still and lets it go. No signal from the umpire. Pakistan sign off with a win, but their campaign ends here. Pakistan (212/8) beat Sri Lanka (207/6) by 5 runs | Shanaka 76*; Ahmed 3/23

SIX! That’s three in a row from Shanaka! The Sri Lanka captain is on fire! Shaheen misses the yorker and serves a slot ball outside off — Shanaka stands tall and drives it clean over cover yet again. Hat-trick of sixes! Just 6 needed off 2 now — the atmosphere in Pallekele is electric. Sri Lanka 207/6 in 19.4 overs vs Pakistan (212/8)

SIX! Fifty for Dasun Shanaka! Short of a length and not wide enough — Shanaka steps forward and smashes the cut high over wide long-off. Absolute monster of a hit! He raises his bat to acknowledge the applause — captain leading from the front. Sri Lanka 185/6 in 18.5 overs vs Pakistan (212/8) in Pallekele

SIX! Fifty for Pavan Rathnayake! Too full and right in the slot — Rathnayake drops the back knee and unleashes a powerful slog-sweep over deep mid-wicket. It sails comfortably into the stands.He raises his bat to a warm round of applause — fine knock from the young batter.

It’s all over for Pakistan! Sri Lanka sneak the single they need — a back-of-a-length ball on off, Shanaka punches it back, Usman Tariq fumbles. Sri Lanka cross 147, and that officially ends Pakistan’s tournament. New Zealand are through to the semifinals! Celebrations break out among Kiwi fans, while Pakistan bow out. With this result, Sri Lanka’s World Cup journey also ends here — and the knockout stage now shifts to Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

WICKET! Nawaz strikes! Mohammad Nawaz cleans up Janith Liyanage with a beauty. Liyanage backs away, the ball drifts in from middle and then turns just enough to beat the outside edge before crashing into off and middle. Nawaz roars in celebration — this game is heading for a tense finish. SL 101/5 in 16 overs vs PAK (212/8) in Pallekele

WICKET! Abrar gets his third of the night! Kamindu Mendis departs for 3 — undone by the pace once again. Abrar drags it through slower, it keeps low and turns in from outside off. Mendis is miles early on the pull, almost in slow motion, and the ball sneaks through to hit the stumps. Brilliant spell from Abrar Ahmed — whenever Pakistan need a wicket, he delivers.

WICKET! Abrar strikes again! Tossed up, slower and full on off — Asalanka goes early for the slog-sweep and misses completely. The off stump is rattled! Massive breakthrough for Pakistan — that stand was starting to look dangerous, but Abrar does the damage. Sri Lanka 75/3 in 8.5 overs vs Pakistan (212/8)

WICKET! Abrar strikes! Abrar Ahmed gets one to spin back sharply into the left-hander. Mishara backs away to cut but is caught late — the ball brushes the off stump. A glance at the umpire, but it’s clearly bowled. Superb start from Abrar, Pakistan, right on top. Sri Lanka 37/2 in 5 overs vs Pakistan (212/8) in Pallekele

Big over for Sri Lanka — 15 off Shaheen! Shaheen Afridi goes back of a length on off, and it sits up nicely. Kamil Mishara pounces, smashing a superb lofted drive straight back down the ground. It flies dangerously close to the cameraman before clearing him — heart-in-mouth moment! Huge confidence boost for the hosts. SL 25/1 in 3 overs vs PAK (212/8) in Pallekele

WICKET! Early breakthrough for Pakistan! Naseem Shah strikes — a clever slower full ball wide of off after Nissanka backs away. With no base, he can’t generate power and ends up scooping it tamely to extra cover. Mohammad Nawaz takes a simple catch. Naseem roars in celebration — perfect start with the ball for Pakistan. Sri Lanka 9/1 in 1.5 overs vs Pakistan (212/8) in Pallekele

Chase begins in Pallekele! Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara walk out to open for Sri Lanka, with Nissanka set to take first strike. Shaheen Afridi has the new ball in hand and is ready to charge in. Game on!

Fakhar and Farhan were ruthless, and Sri Lanka had no answers early on — dropped chances, sloppy fielding, no clear plan. But the comeback has kept the equation alive. For Pakistan to qualify, they must now restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less. They’ve left at least 15 runs out there — and those could prove costly.

Innings Break — Sri Lanka fight back late! Strong recovery from Sri Lanka at the death. Pakistan looked set for a monster total, but the momentum dipped sharply after the opening stand was broken. From 176/0 in 15.4 overs to 212/8 — just 36 runs off the last 26 balls. Pakistan 212/8 in 20 overs vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele | Farhan 100, Zaman 84; Madushanka 3/33, Shanaka 2/42

WICKET! Salman Agha (0) holes out! Shanaka fires in a low full toss and Agha goes for the slog — gets a big slice on it. The ball goes miles up! Theekshana tracks back from cover and takes a sharp catch over his shoulder. He’s had his moments in the field this tournament, but that’s a fine grab. Pakistan losing a bit of momentum here.

HUNDRED for Sahibzada Farhan! What a tournament he’s having — his second T20I century of this World Cup and his sixth T20 hundred since 2025. Shanaka takes pace off and goes wide of off, but Farhan slaps it down to long-off to bring up the milestone. He leaps in the air, pumps his fist, and lets out a roar — a gem at the top and arguably the standout batter of the tournament. Pakistan 200/3 in 18.2 overs vs SL in Pallekele

WICKET! Pakistan lose another! Madushanka misses the wide yorker and ends up serving a slot ball, but Khawaja Nafay (2) fails to capitalise. He mistimes the lofted hit off the bottom of the bat, and Charith Asalanka takes a simple catch at long-on. Pakistan slowing down — just three singles and a wicket in the last four balls. PAK 184/2 in 17 overs vs SL in Pallekele

WICKET! Fakhar Zaman departs after a blazing knock. Chameera finally breaks the record opening stand with a wide yorker that dips into a low full toss. Fakhar shuffles across, looks to carve it behind square, but ends up dragging it onto his stumps. Fakhar walks back to a standing ovation after a sensational 84 off 42 — a match-defining innings when Pakistan needed it most. Pakistan 177/1 in 16 overs vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele

Pakistan’s openers have just stitched their highest-ever opening stand in T20 World Cup history. Fakhar Zaman looks in sublime touch, while Sahibzada Farhan is cruising beautifully at the other end. With this platform, Pakistan will be eyeing a massive total of 230-plus very much on the cards, and a century from one of these two wouldn’t surprise anyone. PAK 163/0 in 15 overs vs SL in Pallekele

Sahibzada Farhan goes past Virat Kohli for most runs in a single edition of a T20 World Cup.

SIX! Fakhar is on a roll! A juicy full toss outside off and Fakhar Zaman isn’t letting that go. Doesn’t quite middle it — off the inside half — but there’s plenty of power behind it. The ball sails over long-on for a towering 81-metre maximum. Pakistan piling it on!

SIX! Fifty for Fakhar Zaman off just 27 balls! It’s in the slot outside off, and Fakhar doesn’t miss out — swings hard and flat, clearing the leaping fielder at deep mid-wicket to his right. What a knock this is turning out to be. Pure power, pure intent! Pakistan 125/0 in 12 overs vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele

Shanaka serves a slower, short-of-length ball outside off — Farhan calmly dabs it away to deep cover for a couple and brings up a well-deserved half-century. He’s been in superb touch this tournament, and the dugout rises to applaud a fine knock. Pakistan 80/0 in 8.1 overs vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele

Most 50-plus scores in a T20 WC edition
4 – M Hayden (2007)
4 – Virat Kohli (2014)
4 – Babar Azam (2021)
4 – Virat Kohli (2022)
4 – Sahibzada Farhan (2026)*

Drinks on the field! Pakistan couldn’t have scripted a better start. They may have lost the toss, but things are going exactly to plan. From here, they should be eyeing at least 220. 

FOUR! And it flies through! Fakhar Zaman comes charging again, throws his hands at the cut — it’s in the air! Theekshana gets both hands to it at the backward point but can only parry it over and into the deep backward point fence. That’s 13 off the over. 

FOUR! Pakistan off to a brisk start. Sahibzada Farhan looks in fine touch — gets on his toes, creates room, and punches a slower length ball sweetly through the gap between cover and backward point. Crisp timing, classic stroke.

Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman walk out to open for Pakistan, with Farhan set to face the first ball. Dilshan Madushanka has the new ball in hand and is ready to charge in. No slips in place — third man and fine leg are up inside the circle. Here we go!

The players are out for the national anthems — Pakistan’s first, followed by Sri Lanka’s. The stands are buzzing, plenty of young fans sporting “Sri Lanka” headbands and waving flags. Everything set at the centre — we’re all in readiness for what promises to be a cracking contest.

Salman Agha: It’s a massive opportunity. We just need to play a perfect game, bowl well, bat well, and field well, and I think everything will be fine. Yeah, we would have bowled first definitely, but there is no way we can do that while batting. So you just need to put up a good total and try to restrict them. It’s a mix (knowing the calculations) to be very honest. We’ll just try to play a perfect game, and I think the rest will be fine. Yeah, we got three changes. Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, and Salman Mirza are not playing. Naseem Shah, Khawaja Nafay, and Abrar Ahmed are playing.

Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka wins the toss and elects to bowl first against Pakistan in the final Super 8 Group 2 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Pallekele.