On 28 February 2026 at Pallekele, Pakistan and Sri Lanka played one of the most extraordinary matches in recent T20 cricket history. Pakistan built a record-breaking 176-run opening stand, lost 8 wickets in 4 overs, scored 212/8, beat Sri Lanka by 5 runs and were still eliminated from the T20 World Cup.
Winning isn’t always enough. This page covers every Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team match scorecard from 2025–26, including the full T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 scorecard, the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four, and all three matches of the Pakistan T20I tour of Sri Lanka with the full story behind every result.
SL vs PAK: All Three Series Results At A Glance (2025–26)
T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 (Pallekele, February 28, 2026)
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 5 runs. PAK 212/8 (20 overs), SL 207/6 (20 overs). Pakistan were eliminated despite winning.
Man of the Match: Sahibzada Farhan.
Asia Cup 2025 Super Four (Abu Dhabi, September 23, 2025)
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets. SL 133/8 (20 overs), PAK 138/5 (18 overs).
Pakistan T20I tour of Sri Lanka 2026
- 1st T20I (January 7, 2026): Pakistan won by 6 wickets. SL 128 all out, PAK 129/4.
- 2nd T20I (January 9, 2026): Abandoned without a ball bowled (rain, Dambulla).
- 3rd T20I (January 11, 2026): Sri Lanka won by 14 runs (Shanaka 34 off 9 balls).
Full scorecard: SL vs PAK, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8
Pakistan innings: 212/8 in 20 overs (Pallekele)
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | 100 | — | — | — | — |
| Fakhar Zaman | 84 | — | — | — | — |
| Others | 28 | — | — | — | — |
Total: 212/8 (20 overs)
Powerplay: 64 runs, 0 wickets in 6 overs.
Sri Lanka innings: 207/6 in 20 overs
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pavan Rathnayake | 58 | — | — | — | — |
| Dasun Shanaka* | 76 | 31 | — | — | 245.2 |
Total: 207/6 (20 overs)
Result: Pakistan won by 5 runs. Pakistan eliminated from T20 World Cup 2026.
Bowling figures
Sri Lanka bowling (vs PAK):
| Bowler | O | R | W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dushmantha Chameera | — | — | 1 (Fakhar 84, inside edge onto stumps) |
| Dunith Wellalage | — | — | — |
Pakistan bowling (vs SL):
| Bowler | O | R | W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 4 | — | — |
| Other bowlers | — | — | — |
Read Also:- Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Shaheen held his nerve to bowl the final over when SL needed 28 off 6 balls and Shanaka was on 76*.
The 176-run record opening stand Farhan and Fakhar’s T20 World Cup history
How They Built It Over By Over
Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman walked out to bat and immediately dismantled Sri Lanka’s bowling attack. Their 176-run opening partnership is the highest opening stand in T20 World Cup history — breaking the previous record with a display of controlled aggression that had Pakistan fans dreaming of a semifinal place.
In the powerplay, they scored 64 runs without losing a wicket — an exceptional start that put them on course for 240+. By the 16th over, they had reached 176 together, with Farhan approaching his century and Fakhar at 84. The run rate was astronomical. Pakistan looked untouchable.
The Record Context
No opening pair in T20 World Cup history had previously reached 176 in a partnership. Not Rohit-Sharma, not Dilshan-Jayawardene, not any of the great attacking pairs who’ve graced the tournament since 2007. Farhan and Fakhar did it in a Super 8 knockout match, under pressure, in Sri Lanka.
Why The Record Was Bittersweet From The 17th Over
Here is what most people miss: the moment that mattered most was not the partnership being broken it was the over in which it ended. From 176/0, Pakistan lost 8 wickets in approximately 24 balls. The mathematics of the NRR situation required them to post as large a total as possible. Every wicket they lost in those final 4 overs was a run subtracted from their margin, and the collapse turned 240+ into 212.
The collapse: 8 wickets in 4 overs, from glory to 212/8
What Happened In Overs 17–20
Chameera struck the decisive blow, dismissing Fakhar Zaman for 84 when an inside edge deflected off the bat and onto the stumps a wicket that broke the partnership and, in retrospect, broke Pakistan’s World Cup campaign. Once Fakhar fell, the middle and lower order came and went in rapid succession.
Eight wickets fell in the space of four overs. Some to genuine quality bowling. Some to reckless aggression from batters aware of the NRR requirement and trying to clear the boundary on every ball.
Why Pakistan’s Lower Order Was The Structural Problem
This is where things go wrong for a team built around an explosive top two: when the openers go in four overs, there is no established middle-order batter with the platform and intent to bat through the death. The lower-order collapse in overs 17–20 was not a surprise it was a recurring Pakistan pattern in T20 cricket, exposed at the worst possible moment in the most important match of the tournament.
Was 212 Enough To Advance?
Pakistan needed Sri Lanka to score fewer than 147 runs to leapfrog New Zealand into second place behind England. Even a total of 240 would have required Sri Lanka to be bowled out for approximately 110-115. Once Sri Lanka reached 148, Pakistan’s World Cup was mathematically over regardless of whether they won or lost.
The 212 total was not enough to advance. It was, however, enough to win the match.
The NRR paradox: Pakistan won the match and went home
The Mathematics Explained Simply
To advance to the semifinals, Pakistan needed two things simultaneously:
- Win the match which they did (by 5 runs).
- Win by enough margin that their NRR surpassed New Zealand’s which required Sri Lanka to score under 147 runs in response to Pakistan’s 212.
Sri Lanka scored 207/6. That is 60 runs above the threshold Pakistan required.
Pakistan collected 2 points. Their NRR remained insufficient. New Zealand qualified for the semifinals ahead of them.
Sri Lanka’s 207/6: Why They Stayed Competitive
Sri Lanka did not need to win to prevent Pakistan’s advancement. They just needed to bat. And they batted magnificently. Pavan Rathnayake’s 58 gave Sri Lanka’s innings its spine after their top order was put under pressure by Pakistan’s bowling. By the time Shanaka walked in to bat in the death overs, Sri Lanka were in a territory that made elimination irrelevant they had nothing to lose and a nation to entertain.
What Shanaka Did Next
Shanaka walked in facing a chase that was beyond Sri Lanka’s realistic reach. He proceeded to almost pull off the impossible. Three consecutive sixes in the final over off Shaheen Shah Afridi. 76 runs off 31 balls. A 245 strike rate. A finishing innings that turned a dead-rubber elimination match into one of the most watched cricket moments of 2026.
Shanaka 76* off 31: the greatest losing innings of T20 WC 2026
The Game State When Shanaka Arrived
Sri Lanka needed approximately 67 runs off the last 38 balls when Shanaka came in a total most batters would treat as mathematically challenging but not impossible in T20 cricket. What made Shanaka’s innings different from a mere power hitter’s cameo was the intelligence behind it: he did not try to hit every ball for six from the start. He picked his bowlers, his lengths, and his moments with precision.
3 Consecutive Sixes In The Last Over Ball By Ball
With 28 needed off the last 6 balls, Afridi vs Shanaka became one of the great final-over duels in T20I history:
- Ball 1: Shanaka launched a six 22 needed off 5
- Ball 2: Shanaka launched another six 16 needed off 4
- Ball 3: Shanaka launched a third consecutive six 10 needed off 3
At that moment, Pallekele lost its collective mind. Three sixes in a row off one of the world’s best pace bowlers, in the final over of a World Cup match, with his team needing an extraordinary last-over comeback.
Afridi’s Yorker The Final Delivery
With 6 needed off the final 2 balls, Shaheen Afridi switched to bowling over the wicket and delivered a low full-toss. Shanaka attempted a reverse scoop and failed to connect. The ball 6 was a pinpoint yorker on the tramline Afridi’s signature delivery under pressure that Shanaka could not reach, sealing Pakistan’s 5-run victory and Sri Lanka’s exit.
Counterintuitive observation: Afridi’s nerves on ball 5 (the low full-toss) almost gave Shanaka the game. It was the poorest delivery of the over. The best delivery the final yorker won Pakistan the match. That contrast defines what elite death bowling under pressure actually looks like.
Full scorecard: PAK vs SL, Asia Cup 2025 Super Four
Sri Lanka innings: 133/8 in 20 overs (Abu Dhabi)
Sri Lanka’s batting struggled on a tricky Abu Dhabi surface that offered more assistance to Pakistan’s bowlers than the pitch reports suggested.
| Sri Lanka | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 133/8 (20 overs) | 138/5 (18 overs) |
| Run rate | 6.65 | 7.67 |
| Result | — | Won by 5 wickets |
Read Also:- Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians Match Scorecard
Result: Pakistan won by 5 wickets.
Hussain Talat And Nawaz Partnership The Chase Reconstruction
Pakistan’s chase was not straightforward. After losing multiple wickets in the first 10 overs, the chase threatened to become complicated. Hussain Talat (32 off 30) provided the anchor and struck up crucial partnerships first with Mohammad Haris, then with Mohammad Nawaz (38 off 24 balls) to take Pakistan home in 18 overs.
What people think: “Pakistan cruised a 134-chase.” Reality: five wickets fell, the pitch was tricky, and a mid-innings partnership was needed before Pakistan could relax. The Asia Cup 2025 result flattered Pakistan more than the scorecard suggests.
Full scorecard: Pakistan T20I series in Sri Lanka 2026
1st T20I: Pakistan won by 6 wickets (January 7, 2026, Dambulla)
| Runs | Sri Lanka | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 128 all out (20 overs) | 129/4 (— overs) |
| Top scorer | Janith Liyanage 40 | Sahibzada Farhan 51* |
| Result | — | Won by 6 wickets |
Shadab Khan took 2/25 as Pakistan’s bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 128. Farhan’s 51 not out anchored the chase comfortably. The only real moment of drama was Liyanage’s 40, which suggested a competitive total before his dismissal triggered a collapse from 127/6 to all out.
2nd T20I: Abandoned (January 9, 2026, Dambulla)
No ball was bowled. The match at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium was abandoned before the toss due to heavy rain and a saturated outfield.
Pakistan’s 1-0 lead was preserved.
3rd T20I: Sri Lanka won by 14 runs (January 11, 2026)
Sri Lanka levelled the series in the final match, with Dasun Shanaka’s cameo of 34 off just 9 balls proving once again that Shanaka at the death is one of the most destructive forces in Asian T20 cricket.
Result: Sri Lanka won by 14 runs. Series tied 1-1 (2nd match abandoned).
Shanaka’s 34 off 9 balls in this match and 76 off 31 in the World Cup Super 8 five weeks later establishes a clear pattern: when the pressure is highest and the runs required most, Shanaka turns into a different batter entirely.
SL vs PAK head-to-head and rivalry context
Overall T20i Record
Pakistan leads Sri Lanka 15-11 in T20I cricket. The margin is not as comfortable as it looks Sri Lanka have won 11 of 26 total T20Is, including the 3rd T20I of the 2026 series and multiple Asia Cup and bilateral encounters.
T20 World Cup Head-to-head
Pakistan leads 5-2 in T20 World Cup encounters. The 2026 Super 8 result took Pakistan’s lead to this margin, but crucially, Pakistan are yet to use any of those wins to actually reach a T20 World Cup final. Winning against Sri Lanka in World Cup cricket means little if the larger tournament progress remains elusive.
What The 2026 Matches Revealed
Three fixtures between these teams in 2025-26 have confirmed one shared truth about this rivalry: Dasun Shanaka changes every single game he plays in. Whether it is 34 off 9 in a bilateral T20, or 76 off 31 in a World Cup Super 8, Shanaka’s presence guarantees that no scorecard tells the full story of any SL vs PAK match until the very final ball.
Fantasy and Form Takeaways From SL vs PAK 2025-26
- Sahibzada Farhan across all three match contexts 51* in the 1st T20I, 100 in the T20 World Cup is the safest batting pick in Pakistan’s T20I lineup when conditions are flat. He performed in Abu Dhabi, Dambulla and Pallekele.
- Fakhar Zaman is a premium differential pick in high-scoring T20 matches his 84 in the WC Super 8 as the second opener alongside Farhan makes the Farhan-Fakhar combination the highest-upside opening pair Pakistan deploy in T20Is.
- Dasun Shanaka is the single most dangerous fantasy multiplier in any SL vs PAK match, regardless of his position in the batting order. If Shanaka is available and SL are chasing in the death overs, he is a guaranteed points contributor.
- Pavan Rathnayake (58 in the WC Super 8) is an emerging Sri Lanka bat worth tracking his innings was overshadowed by Shanaka’s finish, but 58 runs in a T20 WC knockout match demonstrated significant composure and range.
- Shadab Khan in T20I conditions in Sri Lanka 2/25 in the 1st T20I of the 2026 series confirms his leg-spin remains effective on subcontinental surfaces that favour wrist spin variation.
- Shaheen Shah Afridi in the death: his final-ball yorker under maximum pressure at Pallekele is the clearest reminder that despite the low full-toss on ball 5, Afridi under pressure is still elite. His death bowling remains Pakistan’s highest-reliability bowling asset.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who won the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match?
Ans. Pakistan won by 5 runs. PAK 212/8, SL 207/6 at Pallekele (28 February 2026). Despite winning, Pakistan were eliminated because their NRR was insufficient.
Q2. What was the score in the SL vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8?
Ans. Pakistan scored 212/8 in 20 overs. Sri Lanka scored 207/6 in 20 overs.
Q3. Why was Pakistan eliminated despite beating Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2026?
Ans. To advance, Pakistan needed Sri Lanka to score fewer than 147 runs. Sri Lanka scored 207, which was 60 runs above the threshold needed for Pakistan to overtake New Zealand on NRR.
Q4. What was Farhan and Fakhar’s opening stand in the T20 World Cup 2026?
Ans. Farhan (100) and Fakhar (84) put on a 176-run opening partnership — the highest opening stand in T20 World Cup history, before Pakistan collapsed from 176/0 to 212/8 in four overs.
Q5. What was Shanaka’s score vs Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026?
Ans. Dasun Shanaka scored 76* off just 31 balls, including three consecutive sixes in the final over off Shaheen Afridi, before being dismissed off the last ball — 5 runs short of completing an improbable chase.
Q6. What was the result of the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup 2025 Super Four?
Ans. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets in Abu Dhabi. Sri Lanka scored 133/8 in 20 overs and Pakistan chased 138/5 in 18 overs, with Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz steering the chase.
Q7. What happened in the Pakistan T20I tour of Sri Lanka 2026?
Ans. The 3-match series ended 1-1. Pakistan won the 1st T20I by 6 wickets (SL 128 all out, Farhan 51*), the 2nd T20I was abandoned due to rain, and Sri Lanka won the 3rd T20I by 14 runs (Shanaka 34 off 9 balls).