Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Dream Shattered Despite Thrilling Win
Pakistan Eliminated from T20 World Cup Despite Victory
Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals have ended. They won their Super-8 match against Sri Lanka by five runs. However, this victory was not enough. Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 runs or less to advance. Their bowlers could not achieve this crucial target.
England and New Zealand Advance from Group 2
The match took place in Pallekele on Saturday. Pakistan set a target of 213 runs for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka managed to score 207 runs for six wickets in their 20 overs. While Sri Lanka did not win the match, their strong batting performance proved costly for Pakistan’s chances. This result meant England and New Zealand qualified for the semi-finals from Group 2. Pakistan and Sri Lanka are now out of the tournament.
Sri Lanka’s Remarkable Chase Falls Short
Sri Lanka’s chase began poorly. Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for just 3 runs. Kamil Mishara scored 26 runs. Charith Asalanka was bowled by Abrar Ahmed for 25 runs. Kamindu Mendis (3) and Janith Liyanage (5) also fell cheaply.
Ratnayake and Shanaka’s Heroics
Pawan Ratnayake anchored the innings. He scored a brilliant 58 runs off 37 balls. His innings included 4 fours and 3 sixes. Captain Dasun Shanaka then played a sensational innings in the final overs. He remained unbeaten on 76 runs from just 31 balls. Shanaka hit 18 runs in the 19th over. He then smashed 22 runs in the final over. Despite his efforts, he could not guide his team to victory.
Close Finish in the Final Over
In the last over, Sri Lanka needed 28 runs to win. Shanaka hit three sixes and a four. However, he could not connect well on the last two deliveries. Abrar Ahmed was the standout bowler for Pakistan. He took 3 wickets for 23 runs in his four overs.
Record Opening Partnership for Pakistan
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first. They posted a strong total of 212 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan scored a magnificent century. He made 100 runs off 60 balls. Fakhar Zaman provided explosive support. He scored 84 runs in 42 balls. The 176-run partnership between Farhan and Zaman for the first wicket was a record. It is one of the biggest opening partnerships in T20 World Cup history.
Middle Order Collapse
However, the rest of the Pakistani batsmen failed to contribute. Captain Salman Agha and Mohammad Nawaz were dismissed without scoring. Shadab Khan managed only 2 runs. For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka was the most successful bowler. He took 3 wickets for 33 runs. Captain Dasun Shanaka also took 2 wickets.
