Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 50th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y3 v Y4), ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 - Commentary

When you have seen before that a co-host - who are already knocked out - play so well and deny someone else their place in the semi-final, thereby also ensuring they don't get to host a semi-final and probably the final too. Credit to Sri Lanka for putting on a superb display. Broken hearts in Pakistan and their campaign comes to an end. They put in their best batting performance of the tournament today but it wasn't enough. Now there's clarity on where the semis and the final will be held. Definitely quite a few happy people in Kolkata and Ahmedabad. On that note we sign off from here. It's been a cracking night and tomorrow we end the Super 8 stage with a double-header. The second game will determine who is the last semi-finalist. That's it for now. We will see you nice and early tomorrow. Bye bye.

Salman Ali Agha | Pakistan captain: "I think when I lost the toss, it was always going to be challenging because of the dew, and then it was a very good pitch and once restricting them 148 is going to be challenge. But we tried and couldn't but it was always going to be challenging restricting them 148. I think if I would have won the toss, then it could have been a different story. (are you disappointed with your spinners?) Yeah, it was, you can say that dew was definitely a factor. But yeah, we couldn’t execute the over plans the way we wanted to. Our spinner [spinners] has been brilliant, but today obviously Usman had a [an] off-day. And it can happen in T20 game, he’s been exceptional and one off-day can happen. But yeah, I think dew was a factor. (where did you go wrong in this campaign?) I think we couldn’t bat well throughout the tournament. It was only Sahibzada Farhan, he batted exceptionally well. And during that period, if anyone would have helped him bit more, could have been a different story. But yeah, the batting was always a concern throughout the tournament. Especially middle-order. Middle-order has been a problem for us for like a few years now. We need to sit down and obviously definitely want to look at that department as well. (on their last two overs with the bat) Yeah, we couldn’t finish the way we wanted to finish. But in 20 overs, you will say like opposition will have two overs. And that was the case at that time. We batted really well in 18 overs and opposition allowed to have a two good overs. But yeah, if we batted those two over [overs] well, scored 30 more, like 10-15 more runs, could have been a different story. But yeah, I was always going to say with this dew, 148, or even 160 it was always going to be challenging."

Dasun Shanaka | Sri Lanka captain: "Absolutely right. So, yeah, it was that close of a game, you know, where I could have finished it. But yeah, unfortunate. Well bowled to Shaheen. (on their campaign) See, it’s been a tough campaign for us. Yes, we had few injuries. Yes we disappointed the crowd. I, you know, I want to say sorry for all these fans because, you know, unfortunately, we fell down because of those injuries. Otherwise, we could have probably made it to a semi-final. Yes, in the future, if there is no injuries, I feel that this team will do great in good tracks, you know. (on losing Hasaranga and Pathirana) Absolutely right. You know, missing two key bowlers actually, they could have been played if they were here. So it’s a big loss. At times of World Cup, you know, we need our players to be here and it’s strength, our, you know, the mentality a little bit. So, yeah, it’s a big loss, but you know, hopefully they will return soon and do good for the Sri Lankan cricket. (on him being critical of the critics) You know, sometimes as players, we feel the pressure as well. So it was a mistake by myself. So again, you know, I wanted to say sorry for all the fans to disheartening them. I will make sure I won’t do that again. I mean, not all the players. I mean, they will, you know, they will, they will thankful for each and everyone who is right behind us all over the years. So, yeah, I feel very disheartened for that. (any young player who caught your attention?) Yeah, of course, one and only Pavan Rathnayake. He [he's] been, you know, consistent and, you know, using the crease very well. So very positive sign for Sri Lankan cricket. Yes, we do have Wellalage as well. So growing, they are growing. So hopefully bright, they will have a bright future ahead." (Then has a message to the fans in Sinhala). දැනටමත් තැංකිව් වෙරි මච්. අවට්ටම සපෝට් කරන්නට ඇන්දුයෙනවනෙකන් බලාගෙනිටිය මැච් එක දිනාගෙනෑය කියලා. සොරි මැච් එක බරදුනට අපි ටීම් එකක් වශයට හොඳ දේවල් කරන්න ගොඩාත් බලාපොරොත්තු වෙනවා. ඒවගේම කියන්න මිනින්ජරිස්ටිකේන්ද අපිට ගොඩාක් පසුට යන්නුණා. ඒවත් එකටම සෙල්ලන්නගරේ. අපි හොඳ කැම්බැක්කියක් දෙනවා. තැංකිව් වෙරි මච් [Already thank you very much. We were expecting to win the match looking at everyone coming to support. Sorry for losing the match, but as a team we are hoping very much to do good things. Also to say because of the injuries we had to go a lot backward. We will play together with those as well. We will give a good comeback. Thank you very much.]

Disclaimer: The Sinhala we have on the site may not be 100% accurate.

Sahibzada Farhan | Player of the Match (translated from Urdu): "First of all, I had it in my mind that, we would do well as a team. The way Fakhar was playing, I actually felt that if he had scored a hundred, it would have been even better for the team. But it was my destiny to get it. Honestly, this hundred did not help the team win. Individually, it was good for me, but it wasn’t good for the team result. Yes, definitely. In the last two or three sessions, I spoke with Hanif Bhai (Hanif Malik batting coach) and told him I was feeling very good about my batting. The way I have been playing. Sometimes you get extra confidence and I tried to keep it normal because I knew when it comes in my range I can hit it easily. (reason for your consistency?) As I said before, a lot of credit goes to domestic cricket. I’ve been playing domestic cricket regularly for the last four years. I topped the run-charts in domestic cricket, PSL, and finished third in the Asia Cup as well and I top-scored here too. Playing consistently in domestic cricket helped me get used to scoring hundreds and fifties at a good strike-rate. I think that form is continuing here. Making a record for Pakistan is a very happy moment for me."

Most sixes as Captain in T20 WCs
21 - Dasun Shanaka
19 - Rohit Sharma
17 - Chris Gayle
17 - Jos Buttler
16 - MS Dhoni

Most PoTM awards in a single T20 WC edition
4 - Shane Watson in 2012
4 - Will Jacks in 2026
3 - Sikandar Raza in 2022
3 - Sahibzada Farhan in 2026*

Most semifinal appearances in T20 WCs
6 - Pakistan
6 - England*
5 - India
5 - New Zealand*

- 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 Dasun Shanaka is the most a Sri Lankan batter hit in a T20I innings, bettering 7 sixes by Kusal Perera against India at Indore in 2017.

Highest scores batting at No.7 or below in T20 WCs
76* - Dasun Shanaka vs PAK, Pallekele, 2026*
60* - Michael Hussey vs PAK, Gros Islet, 2010
55 - David Wiese vs UAE, Geelong, 2022
53* - Will Jacks vs ITA, Kolkata, 2026

Highest aggregate in a T20 WC match
459 - SA vs ENG, Wankhede, 2016
440 - IND vs ZIM, Chennai, 2026
419 - PAK vs SL, Pallekele, 2026*
418 - IND vs ENG, Durban, 2007
413 - WI vs SA, Joburg, 2007
401 - WI vs ZIM, Wankhede, 2026

Coming to the chase, it looked like Pakistan were in the game as Abrar bowled beautifully. His spell gave them a real chance of keeping Sri Lanka to 147 or less. But Usman Tariq had a rare off-day and he struggled with the dew. Also a superb knock from Pavan Rathnayake and that knock kept Sri Lanka always ahead of the 147 target. He struck crucial blows and hit sixes to ease the pressure. When Liyanage fell, the game was in the balance but Shanaka joined Rathnayake and the duo easily took Sri Lanka over 147. Then what followed was incredible. Shanaka almost stole the game as he went ballistic. Reminded everyone of his heroics in a T20I against Australia when he memorably took his side over the line with some superb hitting. He nearly did it again tonight as the crowd went mental. With 28 needed off the last over, he hit a hat-trick of sixes to bring it down to 6 off 2. Then Shaheen Afridi came over the wicket and bowled a low full-toss outside off, Shanaka tried a reverse-scoop and missed. And a fine yorker on the tramline off the last ball ended any hopes of one of the most unreal wins in T20Is. Live visuals show Lasith Malinga absolutely pelting Shanaka - Malinga's body language and expressions suggest he was probably asking the Sri Lanka captain why he attempted the scoop when he had the off-side to target off the 5th ball of the last over. Shanaka tries to make his point. Then the camera cuts away. Phew. What emotion. What a game. What a finish. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff....

22:47 Local Time, 17:17 GMT, 22:47 IST: Look at Dasun Shanaka. He is such a nice individual. Everyone likes him. He is thanking the crowd as he appreciates their support. Sanath Jayasuriya meanwhile is not happy, he has a chat with umpire Rod Tucker. Probably asking him why the last two balls were not wide. Agha sits in the dugout and has a chat with Nawaz. Replays show that Jayasuriya watched the last ball on the big screen and wondered why that was not a wide. Shanaka just closed his eyes in disappointment as he bent down while Dunith Wellalage patted him on the back in appreciation. Before walking off inside, Shanaka thanked the crowd and then hugged Jayasuriya.

Shaheen Afridi over the wicket.

28 off the last over. Shanaka on strike. Still a glimmer of a hope for Sri Lanka. Shaheen Shah the bowler. He comes round the wicket.