pakistan national cricket team vs sri lanka national cricket team match scorecard
The Pakistan national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team rivalry has produced many memorable matches across Test cricket, ODIs and T20 internationals. The two Asian sides have regularly competed in bilateral series and major ICC tournaments, with several games decided by narrow margins.
One of their latest major encounters came during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, when Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by five runs in a thrilling Super Eight match at Pallekele Cricket Stadium on February 28, 2026. Pakistan scored 212/8 before Sri Lanka finished on 207/6.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2026 Match Scorecard
The 2026 T20 World Cup match was a high-scoring contest. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field, giving Pakistan the opportunity to bat first.
Pakistan Innings – 212/8
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | 100 | 60 | 9 | 5 | 166.67 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 84 | 42 | 9 | 4 | 200.00 |
| Khawaja Mohammad Nafay | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Shadab Khan | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140.00 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Salman Ali Agha | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Pakistan finished with 212/8 in 20 overs, scoring at 10.60 runs per over. Sahibzada Farhan produced a brilliant century, while Fakhar Zaman added an explosive 84 from only 42 balls.
Sri Lanka Bowling
Dilshan Madushanka was among Sri Lanka’s wicket-takers, dismissing Sahibzada Farhan after his century and also removing Khawaja Mohammad Nafay. Dushmantha Chameera dismissed Fakhar Zaman.
Sri Lanka Innings – 207/6
Sri Lanka needed 213 runs to win and came extremely close to completing the chase.
| Batter | Runs | Status |
| Pathum Nissanka | — | Dismissed |
| Kamil Mishara | — | Dismissed |
| Kusal Mendis | — | Dismissed |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | — | Dismissed |
| Charith Asalanka | — | Dismissed |
| Sri Lanka middle order | — | Continued the chase |
Sri Lanka eventually reached 207/6 in 20 overs, falling only five runs short of Pakistan’s total. Pakistan therefore won a thrilling contest by five runs.
Sahibzada Farhan’s Record-Breaking Century
The standout performer of the match was Sahibzada Farhan.
Farhan scored exactly 100 runs from 60 balls, hitting nine fours and five sixes. His century helped Pakistan establish a huge total and earned him the Player of the Match award.
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, Farhan became the first batter to score two centuries in a Men’s T20 World Cup. He also finished the tournament with the highest number of runs in a single edition at that point.
Fakhar Zaman’s Explosive 84
Farhan was supported brilliantly by Fakhar Zaman.
Fakhar scored 84 runs from just 42 deliveries, striking at exactly 200.00. His innings contained nine fours and four sixes. The pair’s partnership gave Pakistan an outstanding start and put Sri Lanka under immediate pressure.
The Pakistan Cricket Board also noted that Farhan and Fakhar’s partnership was the highest partnership for any wicket in Men’s T20 World Cup history.
Match Result
Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 5 runs.
- Pakistan: 212/8 in 20 overs
- Sri Lanka: 207/6 in 20 overs
- Result: Pakistan won by 5 runs
- Player of the Match: Sahibzada Farhan
- Venue: Pallekele Cricket Stadium
- Date: February 28, 2026
- Tournament: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Toss: Sri Lanka won and chose to field
How the Match Unfolded
Pakistan started aggressively after being asked to bat first. Farhan and Fakhar Zaman immediately attacked the Sri Lankan bowling attack, taking Pakistan to 50 inside only 4.4 overs.
Their huge partnership established the platform for Pakistan to reach more than 200 runs. Farhan eventually completed his century, while Fakhar’s strike rate of 200 made the opening partnership particularly damaging.
Sri Lanka, however, refused to surrender. Their batters maintained a strong scoring rate throughout the chase and reached 207/6 at the end of 20 overs.
The five-run margin showed just how close the contest became.
Previous Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20I Meetings
The rivalry continued beyond the 2026 World Cup. Pakistan also toured Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I series in January 2026.
In the first T20I at Dambulla on January 7, 2026, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 128 in 19.2 overs, while Pakistan reached 129/4 in 16.4 overs.
Sri Lanka responded in the third T20I on January 11, winning by 14 runs. Sri Lanka scored a strong total before restricting Pakistan during the chase.
The teams therefore continued to produce competitive T20 cricket even outside major tournaments.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: 2025 Tri-Nation Series Final
Another important recent meeting took place in the final of the Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Nation Series on November 29, 2025.
Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Mohammad Nawaz was named Player of the Match.
This victory was another example of Pakistan’s ability to perform successfully against Sri Lanka in T20 cricket.
Why Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Matches Are So Competitive
The Pakistan-Sri Lanka rivalry is particularly interesting because both teams have traditionally produced high-quality spin bowlers, fast bowlers and technically strong batters.
Pakistan’s strengths often include:
- Fast bowling
- Aggressive opening batting
- Quality spin options
- Explosive middle-order hitters
- Strong T20 specialists
Sri Lanka’s traditional strengths include:
- Creative batting
- High-quality spin bowling
- All-rounders
- Tactical T20 cricket
- Strong middle-order players
These contrasting qualities frequently create close contests.
Key Takeaways From the 2026 Scorecard
The 2026 T20 World Cup match produced several important statistical highlights:
- Pakistan scored 212/8.
- Sri Lanka scored 207/6.
- Pakistan won by 5 runs.
- Sahibzada Farhan scored 100 from 60 balls.
- Fakhar Zaman scored 84 from 42 balls.
- Farhan hit 9 fours and 5 sixes.
- Fakhar hit 9 fours and 4 sixes.
- Farhan was named Player of the Match.
- Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field.
- The match was played at Pallekele Cricket Stadium.
Final Thoughts
The Pakistan national cricket team vs Sri Lanka national cricket team match scorecard from the 2026 T20 World Cup shows exactly why this rivalry remains so entertaining.
Pakistan’s 212/8 was built around a spectacular century from Sahibzada Farhan and an aggressive 84 from Fakhar Zaman. Sri Lanka responded with 207/6, making the final five overs a tense battle.
Ultimately, Pakistan held their nerve to win by five runs. The match will be remembered not only for Farhan’s record-breaking century but also for the extraordinary opening partnership and Sri Lanka’s determined chase.
With both teams continuing to develop talented players, future Pakistan vs Sri Lanka encounters are likely to produce many more exciting scorecards and close finishes.
