Pakistan ousted from T20 World Cup despite Sri Lanka win
What's the story
Pakistan's journey in the T20 World Cup 2026 came to an end after despite defeating Sri Lanka in a crucial Super 8 Group 2 match on Saturday. The game was played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Saturday. Pakistan needed a massive win with a margin of over 65 runs to qualify for the semi-finals alongside England. However, as Sri Lanka crossed the target, New Zealand qualified from Super 8 Group 2. Sri Lanka managed 207/6, losing by 5 runs.
Match details
Pakistan post a massive total
Pakistan had a solid start with Sahibzada Farhan scoring a century and Fakhar Zaman contributing 84 runs. The duo put on an impressive opening partnership of 176 runs, taking Pakistan to a total of 212/8. However, the team lost six wickets in the last 2.1 overs of their innings. Zaman was given two lifelines during his innings but eventually fell for a 42-ball 84 in the 16th over after chopping one onto his stumps.
Game outcome
Sri Lanka come close to chasing down the target
Sri Lanka's innings was anchored by Pavan Rathnayake and skipper Dasun Shanaka. Rathnayake scored a brilliant 58 off 37 balls while Shanaka fought till the end with an impressive 76* off just 31 deliveries, taking the game to the last over. Despite Pakistan winning the match by five runs, their net run-rate equation had already turned against them, ending their semi-final hopes in Group 2.
Semifinal spots
New Zealand join England in semis from Group 2
With Pakistan's elimination, New Zealand joined England in the semi-finals from Super 8 Group 2. From Super 8 Group 1, South Africa have already secured a spot in the top four. The final semi-finalist will be determined by the India vs West Indies match in Kolkata on Sunday. Whoever wins the contest at Eden Gardens will make it through.
Farhan
Farhan breaks Virat Kohli's T20 World Cup record
With his 37th run of the contest, Farhan broke the record for most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition. The right-handed batsman surpassed former Indian captain Virat Kohli's tally of 319 runs set in 2014. From six matches in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Kohli averaged 106.33 with the help of four fifties. Farhan slammed 5 sixes and 9 fours in his 60-ball 100. He finished with 383 runs from 7 matches (6 innings) at 76.60. Besides two centuries, he smashed 2 fifties.
Numbers
3rd fifty-plus score versus Sri Lanka in T20Is for Farhan
Overall in T20Is, Farhan now owns 1,305 runs from 46 matches at 30.34. In addition to two tons, he has clobbered 10 fifties. His strike rate is 136.64, as per ESPNcricinfo. Against Sri Lanka, Farhan has smashed 296 runs from 7 matches at 49.33 (100s: 1, 50s: 2). He is now the first batter in PAK-SL T20Is to smash a century.
Information
8th century for Farhan in T20s
Overall in T20s, Farhan has bagged 4,988 runs from 164 matches (158 innings) at 34.16. This was his 8th century in T20s. He also has 32 fifties. His strike rate is 137.71.
Records
More records for Farhan
Farhan now owns the joint-most fifty-plus scores in a T20 World Cup campaign. He is the 4th batter to achive the landmark and the 2nd Pakistani after Babar Azam in 2021. Farhan equaled former West Indies legend Chris Gayle in terms of hammering the most individual hundreds in the ICC T20 World Cup (2). Meanwhile, he also became the first batter to smash two hundreds in a single T20 World Cup edition.
Fakhar
14th T20I fifty; 8,500 runs in T20s for Fakhar
Fakhar's 84 was laced with nine fours and 4 sixes. He struck at 200. The southpaw got to 2,494 in T20Is from 120 matches (110 innings) at 23.98. This was his 14th fifty in T20Is. He is now one shy of 100 sixes (99). In 13 T20Is versus Sri Lanka, Fakhar owns 177 runs at 14.75. This was his maiden fifty versus SL. Overall in T20s, Fakhar surpassed 8,500 runs. He now owns 8,577 runs from 330 matches (318 innings) at 28.12. This was his 57th T20 fifty (100s: 3). He has hit 335 sixes.
Information
Farhan and Fakhar share these partnership records
Farhan and Fakhar now own the highest partnership in T20 World Cup history (176 runs) for any wicket. It's also the highest stand (any wicket) for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. This is also Pakistan's 3rd-highest stand in T20Is (any wicket).
Information
Dilshan Madushanka claims 3/33 versus Pakistan
Madushanka's 3/33 saw him get to a tally of 61 T20 scalps from 63 matches at 30.24.As many as 20 of his T20 wickets have come for Sri Lanka in T20Is. He averages 29.5 in T20Is with his economy rate being 9.36.
Duo
Key T20I stats of Rathnayake and Shanaka
Rathnayake starred with 58 runs off 37 balls. He smashed four fours and three sixes. In 12 matches, he now has 266 runs at 29.55. This was his 2nd T20I fifty. His strike rate is 146.96. Meanwhile, Shanaka hit 76* off 31 balls. He slammed two fours and 8 sixes (SR: 245.16). From 131 T20Is (118 innings), Shanaka now owns 1,912 runs at 20.55. He hit his 8th fifty. Notably, Shanaka has surpassed 100 T20I sixes (106).
Information
Abrar Ahmed surpasses 50 T20I wickets
Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed picked three scalps for 23 runs from 4 overs. From 38 T20Is, he now has 52 scalps at 17.36. In all T20s, he owns 109 wickets from 84 matches at 20.47.
Notable records
Notable sixes records made in this contest
As per Cricbuzz, the 14 sixes by Sri Lanka is the joint-most they hit in a T20I innings alongside as many against India at Pune in 2023. Eight sixes by Shanaka is the most for a Sri Lankan batter in a T20I innings, bettering 7 sixes by Kusal Perera against India at Indore in 2017. Shanaka now owns 21 sixes as a captain in T20 World Cups. He surpassed former Indian skipper Rohit Sharma (19 sixes).