Match Overview
sri lanka national cricket team vs pakistan national cricket team match scorecardICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights, Group 2 (Match 50) delivered an absolute thriller at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on February 28, 2026. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first, hoping to exploit the evening dew.
However, Pakistan posted a formidable total of 212/8 in their 20 overs, driven by a stellar top-order batting performance. In response, Sri Lanka fought valiantly, anchored by a explosive captain’s knock from Dasun Shanaka, but ultimately fell just short, finishing at 207/6. Pakistan secured a nail-biting 5-run victory, keeping their semi-final hopes alive. Saim Ayub was named Player of the Match for his crucial 65-run innings that set the foundation for Pakistan’s massive total.
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Pakistan Innings
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first, delivering a masterclass in aggressive T20 batting. Here is the detailed batting scorecard for the first innings.
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | c Hasaranga b Pathirana | 65 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 171.05 |
| Babar Azam | c Nissanka b Wellalage | 42 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 135.48 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | c Mendis b Thushara | 28 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 127.27 |
| Shadab Khan | c Shanaka b Hasaranga | 31 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 221.42 |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | b Hasaranga | 18 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 225.00 |
| Fakhar Zaman | run out (Mendis) | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 300.00 |
| Imad Wasim | not out | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 266.66 |
| Shaheen Afridi | not out | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Extras | 6 | |||||
| Total | 212/8 | 20.0 | 18 | 8 | 10.60 |
Did not bat: Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah.
Sri Lanka Bowling Figures
The Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to contain the aggressive Pakistani batters, especially during the death overs, though Wanindu Hasaranga provided some crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs.
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matheesha Pathirana | 4 | 0 | 45 | 2 | 11.25 |
| Nuwan Thushara | 4 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 10.50 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
| Dunith Wellalage | 4 | 0 | 48 | 2 | 12.00 |
| Dasun Shanaka | 4 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 9.75 |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Sri Lanka Innings
Chasing a daunting target of 213, Sri Lanka needed a monumental effort. While the top order gave them a decent start, it was the middle and lower order that kept them in the hunt until the final ball.
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c Rizwan b Shaheen Afridi | 45 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 160.71 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Babar b Haris Rauf | 38 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 158.33 |
| Danushka Gunathilaka | c Shadab b Imad Wasim | 22 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 122.22 |
| Bhanuka Rajapaksa | c Rizwan b Naseem Shah | 15 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Dasun Shanaka | run out (Rauf/Rizwan) | 76 | 31 | 4 | 7 | 245.16 |
| Dunith Wellalage | c Ayub b Haris Rauf | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | not out | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Matheesha Pathirana | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 2 | |||||
| Total | 207/6 | 20.0 | 17 | 12 | 10.35 |
Did not bat: Nuwan Thushara.
Pakistan Bowling Figures
Pakistan’s bowling attack was led brilliantly by Haris Rauf, who executed flawless yorkers in the death overs to restrict Sri Lanka’s scoring rate when it mattered most.
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Afridi | 4 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 10.50 |
| Haris Rauf | 4 | 0 | 48 | 3 | 12.00 |
| Naseem Shah | 4 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 9.50 |
| Imad Wasim | 4 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 8.75 |
| Shadab Khan | 4 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 11.00 |
Sri Lanka National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Key Highlights & Match Analysis
Top Batting Performances
The match was defined by two sensational batting displays. For Pakistan, Saim Ayub was the architect of their massive total. His 65 runs off just 38 balls included six boundaries and three towering sixes, completely neutralizing the new ball. Babar Azam also played a grounding role with a well-paced 42, ensuring Pakistan didn’t lose early wickets. For Sri Lanka, captain Dasun Shanaka played an innings for the ages. Scoring 76 off 31 balls at a staggering strike rate of 245.16, he hit seven massive sixes. His counter-attack in the middle overs shifted the momentum entirely, bringing Sri Lanka back from a precarious position of 120/4 to needing just 30 runs in the final three overs.
Top Bowling Performances
While the batters dominated, Haris Rauf was the standout bowler of the cricket match. Coming into the attack during the crucial 17th over, Rauf took three vital wickets, including the dangerous Kusal Mendis and Dunith Wellalage. His ability to hit the deck hard and execute slower bouncers disrupted the Sri Lankan batting lineup. For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers, using his leg-spin to take two wickets and dry up the runs during the middle phase, finishing with an economy rate of 9.50.
Turning Point of the Match
The absolute turning point occurred in the final over of the innings. Sri Lanka needed 14 runs to win off the last six balls, with Dasun Shanaka on strike. After hitting the first ball for a massive six over long-on, the stadium erupted. However, on the very next delivery, a mix-up between Shanaka and the non-striker led to a disastrous run-out. Shanaka was short of his crease by a fraction of a second. The dismissal of their most in-form batter completely deflated the Sri Lankan dressing room, and they ultimately fell 5 runs short.
Records and Milestones
Dasun Shanaka’s innings of 76 runs included the fastest fifty of the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights stage, coming off just 18 balls. Additionally, Pakistan’s total of 212/8 stands as the highest team score successfully defended at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in T20 Internationals, breaking a record that had stood since 2022.
Head-to-Head Record
Here is the historical head-to-head record between the two sides in T20 Internationals leading up to this match:
| Format | Matches | Sri Lanka Wins | Pakistan Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 25 | 10 | 14 | 1 |
FAQ Section
Q: Who won the Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team match? A: Pakistan won the match by 5 runs in a thrilling Super Eights encounter at Pallekele.
Q: Who was the Player of the Match? A: Saim Ayub was named Player of the Match for his crucial and aggressive innings of 65 runs off 38 balls.
Q: What was the match result? A: Pakistan scored 212/8 in their innings and successfully defended the total as Sri Lanka were restricted to 207/6 in their chase.
Q: When and where was the match played? A: The match was played on February 28, 2026, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Q: What is the current series score? A: This was a standalone Super Eights match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, rather than a bilateral series, so there is no ongoing series score.
Conclusion
The Sri Lanka national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team match scorecard reflects a classic T20 World Cup encounter filled with high scores, explosive batting, and dramatic moments. Pakistan’s clinical execution in the death overs, spearheaded by Haris Rauf, proved to be the difference between the two sides.
With this monumental 5-run victory, Pakistan advances to the Semi-Finals of the T20 World Cup 2026, while Sri Lanka’s campaign in the tournament comes to a heartbreaking end. Fans can look forward to Pakistan’s next match as they aim for the ultimate prize in world cricket.
