Kandy (Web Desk): In the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super 8 stage, Pakistan set a target of 213 runs for Sri Lanka, thanks to a brilliant century by Sahibzada Farhan and an explosive innings from Fakhar Zaman.
Sri Lankan captain won the toss and opted to field first, giving Pakistan the opportunity to bat. Pakistan scored 212 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Sahibzada Farhan scored a commanding 100, while Fakhar Zaman added 84, forming a record 176-run partnership that anchored Pakistan’s innings.
Other batsmen struggled to make an impact: Khawaja Nafees scored 2, Shadab Khan 7, while Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Aga were dismissed for ducks.
For this crucial match, Pakistan made several changes to their playing XI, dropping Babar Azam, Saeem Ayub, and Salman Mirza, and including Naseem Shah, Khawaja Nafees, and Abrar Ahmed instead.
Pakistan now needs to dismiss Sri Lanka for 147 runs or fewer to secure a place in the semi-finals. Otherwise, New Zealand, with 3 points and a better net run rate, will qualify. From this group, England has already advanced to the semi-finals, while Sri Lanka is now out of contention.