Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka — pakistan vs sri lanka: Relive all the action as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka but miss out on T20 World Cup semis as New Zealand progress
In a dramatic Super 8s Group 2 game in Pallekele, pakistan vs sri lanka ended with Pakistan beating Sri Lanka by five runs but still being eliminated, while New Zealand sealed a semi-final spot. Pakistan posted 212-8 after a century from Sahibzada Farhan, yet New Zealand clinched second place in the group on net run-rate to advance to the last four.
Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka match report
Pakistan posted 212-8. Sahibzada Farhan made 100 and put on a record-breaking 176 with Fakhar for the first wicket. Farhan also broke the record for most runs in a single edition of the men's T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka, who had already been eliminated from semi-final contention, won the toss and chose to bowl; Sri Lanka later passed 148 in their chase but fell short.
Batting and partnerships
The opening stand of 176 between Farhan and Fakhar was the defining partnership for Pakistan. Pakistan's total of 212-8 set a challenging target; commentators noted Sri Lanka moved past 148 while chasing, but Pakistan held on to win by five runs. Despite the victory, Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament as New Zealand advanced on net run-rate to take the second qualifying spot from Group 2.
Captain reactions and quotes
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha reflected on the match: "When I lost the toss, it was always going to be challenging because of the dew. It was a good pitch. Restricting to 148 was going to be challenging - we tried. If I'd won the toss, it would have been a different story. " He added: "Dew was definitely a factor. We couldn't execute the plans we wanted to. Usman Tariq had an off-day. He's been exceptional but one off-day can happen. "
Agha was candid about Pakistan's tournament-long issues: "We didn't bat well in the tournament. It was only Sahibzada Farhan who batted exceptionally well. Our batting was always a concern, especially the middle order. It's been an issue for a few years now. We need to sit down and look at that department. " He also noted: "We didn't finish the way we wanted to. In 20 overs, the opposition will have two [good] overs and that was the case. We batted really well for 18 overs. If we'd done well, scored 10-15 more, it could've been a different story. But even 160 was always going to be challenging. "
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said: "It was a closer game at the end but unfortunately well bowled to Shaheen Afridi at the end. It's been a tough campaign. I want to say sorry to the fans because we fell down. In the future I feel this team will do well. " Shanaka added that Sri Lanka had been affected by absences: "We were missing two key bowlers and it was a big loss in terms of the World Cup. Hopefully they will return soon and do well for Sri Lankan cricket. "
Selection changes and key players
Ahead of the match Pakistan made selection changes, dropping Babar, Ayub and Mirza for Nafay, Naseem and Abrar. Shaheen Afridi played a decisive role with the ball at the end of Sri Lanka's chase. The side saw standout batting from Sahibzada Farhan, whose tournament total reached 383 runs in a single edition, a new record.
Aftermath and schedule
Pakistan were eliminated despite the win; New Zealand clinched second place in Group 2 on net run-rate and advanced to the last four. The coverage noted that Timothy Abraham prepared a separate match report. A Flourish post could not be displayed in the browser and viewers were advised to enable Javascript or try a different browser. Live radio commentary and interactive features were available on the match page.
Organisers said they would return on Sunday at 09: 15 GMT with the final block of Super 8 matches. First up on that block is South Africa versus Zimbabwe, followed by a winner-takes-all encounter between India and West Indies.
That's all from us. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by five runs but it wasn't enough to qualify for the semi-finals, with New Zealand clinching second place in Group 2 on net run-rate to advance to the last four. Another headline described Pakistan winning a blockbuster contest in Kandy, reflecting how different summaries of the match referenced Kandy alongside Pallekele.
