In a breathtaking conclusion to their Twenty20 World Cup campaign, Pakistan secured a dramatic five-run victory against Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Saturday, only to discover the win wasn’t sufficient to advance them to the semifinals. The mathematical elimination handed New Zealand the final semifinal spot despite the Black Caps not playing.
Pakistan’s path to advancement required restricting Sri Lanka’s chase to under 148 runs to surpass New Zealand’s net run rate. The match appeared to tilt in Pakistan’s favor when they reduced the hosts to 101-5 in the 12th over. However, a spectacular resurgence led by captain Dasun Shanaka and Pavan Rathnayake dramatically shifted momentum.
The climax arrived during the final over delivered by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Shanaka unleashed a breathtaking sequence of 4-6-6-6, bringing Sri Lanka within six runs of victory with two deliveries remaining. In a stunning twist, Shanaka misjudged the fifth ball attempting an unconventional scoop shot, then let the sixth ball—a precise yorker—pass assuming it would be called wide. The umpire’s decision not to award a wide sealed Pakistan’s narrow win but simultaneously ended their tournament aspirations.
Pakistan’s formidable total of 212-8, their highest ever in T20 World Cup history, was built upon a record-shattering opening partnership. Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman combined for 176 runs—the highest partnership in men’s T20 World Cup history—surpassing the previous record set by New Zealand’s Tim Seifert and Finn Allen.
Farhan’s blistering century (100 off 60 balls) propelled him past Virat Kohli’s single-tournament runs record of 319 set in 2014. The Pakistani opener now stands at 383 runs with two centuries and two half-centuries in the competition. Zaman, promoted to opener for the first time in the tournament, contributed a powerful 84 from 42 deliveries.
Despite the elimination, Pakistan exits the tournament having demonstrated exceptional batting prowess, while Sri Lanka concluded their campaign with four consecutive defeats despite a spirited final performance that earned applause from their home crowd.
The semifinal picture now shows England, New Zealand, and South Africa securing their places, with defending champion India—the sole remaining Asian team—facing the West Indies on Sunday to determine the final semifinalist. With Pakistan’s elimination, tournament co-host India will stage both semifinals and the final on March 8.