Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Final: 12 key moments, ball by ball
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 3 wickets.
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 3 wickets in Final of Tri-Series — Triangular Series Final (Pakistan). Here is how the match turned, ball by ball: the overs that changed it, the wickets that mattered and the numbers behind the result.
Key moments, ball by ball
- SL Over 6 — 15 runs came off the over, bowled by Naseem Shah: wd 4 0 6 0 4 0
- SL Over 19.3 — Kamindu Mendis brings up a fifty off 62 balls
- SL Over 33.2 — Kamindu Mendis brings up a hundred off 107 balls
- SL Over 37.4 — Pavan Rathnayake brings up a fifty off 47 balls
- SL Over 41 — 18 runs came off the over, bowled by Arafat Minhas: 4 2 4 1 0 nb 1
- PAK Over 19.2 — Saad Baig brings up a fifty off 52 balls
- PAK Over 21.6 — Fakhar Zaman brings up a fifty off 59 balls
- PAK Over 29.5 — Fakhar Zaman brings up a hundred off 84 balls
- PAK Over 46 — 15 runs came off the over, bowled by Dasun Shanaka: 4 1 2 6 1 1
- PAK Over 47.1 — Arafat Minhas brings up a fifty off 28 balls
- PAK Over 48 — 16 runs came off the over, bowled by Asitha Fernando: 6 6 4 W W 0
- PAK Over 48.3 — Shaheen Afridi finished it off with a six off Dilshan Madushanka
How the runs came
Sri Lanka were 138 after 25 overs and finished on 325/8. Pakistan were 135 after 24 overs and finished on 331/7.
Phase by phase
| Phase | SL | PAK |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay (1-10) | 51/0 (RR 5.10) | 50/2 (RR 5.00) |
| Middle overs (11-40) | 187/2 (RR 6.23) | 194/3 (RR 6.47) |
| Death overs (41-50) | 84/6 (RR 8.40) | 87/2 (RR 10.24) |
The two sides were level phase by phase; single overs made the difference.
Sri Lanka innings: over by over
Sri Lanka faced 116 dot balls (39%), hit 28 fours and 6 sixes, and got 11 extras. The best stand was 147 off 119 balls between Kamindu Mendis & Pavan Rathnayake.
Fall of wickets: 87-1 (Avishka Fernando, 17.2), 109-2 (Kusal Mendis, 21.3), 256-3 (Kamindu Mendis, 41.2), 280-4 (Dasun Shanaka, 43.3), 284-5 (Pavan Rathnayake, 44.3), 296-6 (Janith Liyanage, 46.4), 305-7 (Dunith Wellalage, 47.5), 305-8 (Sahan Arachchige, 48.2)
Pakistan innings: over by over
Pakistan faced 117 dot balls (40%), hit 28 fours and 11 sixes, and got 4 extras. The best stand was 149 off 140 balls between Fakhar Zaman & Saad Baig.
Fall of wickets: 8-1 (Maaz Sadaqat, 1.4), 14-2 (Babar Azam, 3.3), 163-3 (Saad Baig, 26.5), 220-4 (Fakhar Zaman, 33.4), 230-5 (Salman Agha, 36.5), 324-6 (Arafat Minhas, 47.4), 324-7 (Faheem Ashraf, 47.5)
Our view
Pakistan's victory came after a tough fight, with both teams producing strong batting performances. Sri Lanka set a challenging target of 326, thanks to Kamindu Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake. Their 147-run partnership put Sri Lanka in a strong position, while Mendis' 131 off 128 balls was the highlight of the innings. However, Pakistan managed to take important wickets towards the end and stopped Sri Lanka from pushing the total even higher.
Pakistan's chase did not get off to a good start. Losing Maaz Sadaqat and Babar Azam early put pressure on the middle order. Fakhar Zaman and Saad Baig responded with a crucial 149-run partnership. Fakhar's 127 off 99 balls kept Pakistan in the game, while Baig provided valuable support with his fifty. Their partnership brought the required target within reach.
The match was finally decided in the closing overs. Arafat Minhas scored a quick 50 off 28 balls, giving Pakistan the momentum they needed. Although Pakistan lost two wickets in the 48th over, Shaheen Afridi kept his composure and finished the chase with a six. Sri Lanka had a strong total and good individual performances, but Pakistan handled the pressure better in the final stages. This was a well-earned victory built on partnerships and timely contributions from the lower order.
Top performers
- Kamindu Mendis — 131 (128 balls)
- Fakhar Zaman — 127 (99 balls)
- Pavan Rathnayake — 77 (65 balls)
- Dilshan Madushanka — 3/63 (9.3 ov)
- Salman Agha — 2/44 (7 ov)
- Shaheen Afridi — 2/50 (10 ov)
Full scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
