Sahibzada Farhan's Blazing 80* Powers Pakistan to Commanding Victory Over Sri Lanka in T20I Tri-Series

Match Summary: Pakistan's All-Round Dominance Secures Win

After being put into bat first, Sri Lanka never found their footing, posting a modest total of 128/7 in their 20 overs. In response, Pakistan made light work of the target, racing to 129/3 in just 15.3 overs, thanks largely to the heroics of Sahibzada Farhan.

Sri Lanka's Batting Collapse Paves the Way

Winning the toss and choosing to bat first backfired for Sri Lanka, as their innings was plagued by a lack of partnerships and regular wickets. Only Janith Liyanage (41 off 38) offered some resistance, but the team struggled to accelerate. They managed a mere one boundary in the powerplay, setting the tone for a difficult outing. A mix-up leading to the run-out of Kusal Mendis summed up their disjointed performance.

Mohammad Nawaz Shines with the Ball for Pakistan

The Pakistan bowling attack was disciplined and effective across the board. The standout performer was Mohammad Nawaz, whose spin wizardry earned him impressive figures of 3 wickets for just 16 runs. He was ably supported by Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, and Salman Mirza, who all chipped in with a wicket each to tightly restrict the Sri Lankan batters.

Sahibzada Farhan's Career-Best Innings Seals the Chase

The run-chase was a display of pure confidence from Pakistan. While Saim Ayub (20) provided a quick start and crossed 1000 T20I runs, the day belonged to Sahibzada Farhan. The opener played a spectacular innings, smashing 80* off just 45 balls, including 6 fours and 5 sixes.

Farhan brought up his half-century in 33 balls and went on to register his highest score in T20 internationals. A crucial 69-run partnership with captain Babar Azam steadied the ship before Farhan unleashed an array of strokes to seal the victory emphatically.

Tri-Series Points Table: Pakistan on Top

With this victory, Pakistan has secured two consecutive wins in the T20I Tri-Series, firmly placing them at the top of the points table. Sri Lanka, yet to register a win and with the poorest net run rate, faces mounting pressure in their upcoming matches against Zimbabwe and the hosts as they fight to stay in contention for the final.