By NajamSports Team | October 13, 2026
Direct answer: Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 8 wickets in the third and final T20I of the series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night. Chasing 169, the visitors cruised to 172 for 2 in 17.1 overs, powered by captain Kusal Mendis' unbeaten 87 off 48 balls. Pakistan, despite the defeat, won the three-match T20I series 2-1.
On paper, this was a dead rubber. It did not play like one. Sri Lanka played like a team that had a point to prove, and by the end, they had made it emphatically — an eight-wicket win with 17 balls to spare is a statement, not a consolation.
What Happened?
Sri Lanka won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first — and for once, that call was rewarded in full. Pakistan managed 168 for 8 in their 20 overs, and frankly, it could have been worse. Once again, one man carried the innings.
Pakistan 168/8 (20 overs):
- Sahibzada Farhan — 76 off 47 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes). The captain. Again. Third time in the series he has stood tallest.
- Arafat Minhas — 34 not out off 20. A genuinely valuable cameo that dragged Pakistan from roughly 140 to 170. I thought this was the most encouraging knock of the night for Pakistan's future.
- Hasan Nawaz — 16, Abdul Samad — 15, Fakhar Zaman — 12. The middle order simply did not fire.
- Maaz Sadaqat — 0. After his 96 in the previous game, this was the harsh reality check of T20 cricket.
- Dasun Shanaka — 3 for 21 in 4 overs. The bowling figure of the match. He ripped through Pakistan's middle overs and never let them accelerate.
- Nuwan Thushara — 2 for 38, Eshan Malinga — 2 for 38, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth — 1 for 23.
Sri Lanka 172/2 (17.1 overs):
- Kusal Mendis — 87 not out off 48 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes). Player of the Match. A masterclass in chasing — 181 strike rate, and he barely looked troubled.
- Kamindu Mendis — 40 not out off 27. Quietly excellent in support.
- Sineth Jayawardena — 38 off 26. The young opener's cameo kept the powerplay alive after Lahiru Udara fell for 1.
- Pakistan's bowlers: Mohammad Imran and Arafat Minhas took one wicket each. That was it. The rest went for plenty — Salman Mirza conceded 40 in 3 overs, Razaullah 37 in 3.1.
Why This News Matters
Because series scorelines can lie. Yes, Pakistan won the T20I series 2-1, and Sahibzada Farhan was named Player of the Series for his 238 runs — a thoroughly deserved honour for the new captain. But this final game exposed the exact fault line Pakistan need to fix before bigger assignments: the over-reliance on one batter.
In all three games, when Farhan did not dominate, Pakistan's total wobbled. Tonight, apart from Arafat Minhas' cameo, nobody stood up. Against stronger bowling attacks than this Sri Lankan unit, 168 will not be defended — and it was not, with ease.
For Sri Lanka, this win matters enormously. They avoided a series whitewash, and they did it with their captain leading from the front. The Mendis-Kamindu unbeaten 98-run stand was clinical — the kind of chase that builds belief. With an ODI series to follow, Sri Lanka have announced that they are not here to make up numbers.
Our Analysis
Here is my honest reading, and I will not sugar-coat it.
First, Farhan the batter is carrying Farhan the captain. 238 runs in the series is elite. But a captain whose team collapses the moment he fails is carrying a structural problem, not just a trophy. Maaz Sadaqat's duck after a 96 is the perfect illustration — brilliant one day, gone the next. Pakistan need a second reliable pillar, fast.
Second, Arafat Minhas might be that pillar in the making. 34* off 20 under pressure, plus a wicket — that is genuine all-round value. I have been saying Pakistan need finishers who are not one-dimensional. Minhas just put his name on that list in permanent ink.
Third, Sri Lanka's middle-overs bowling won them the series finale. Shanaka's 3 for 21 was the choke Pakistan could not break. Viyaskanth's tidy spell kept the squeeze on through the middle overs tonight. This is the blueprint visiting teams will copy.
Fourth, do not underestimate the Mendis statement. An unbeaten 87 at a 181 strike rate in a chase, as captain, in an away series — that is leadership in its purest form. Sri Lanka's senior players have arrived for the ODI leg in serious form, and Pakistan's bowlers — rested Naseem Shah included — will have noticed.
What Comes Next
The T20I series is done: Pakistan 2, Sri Lanka 1. The ODI series follows, and the complexion has changed tonight. Sri Lanka no longer look like tourists who will roll over — they look like a team that has worked Pakistan out. For Pakistan, the questions are selection-shaped: does the middle order get a shake-up, and can the new-ball attack rediscover the discipline of the first two games?
If you followed this series with us from the start, you already know the arc — Farhan's statement innings in the 1st T20I win, the build-up to the decider in our 2nd T20I preview, and Naseem Shah's return story ahead of the second game. Tonight's finale was the twist nobody quite predicted — but everybody will remember.
Conclusion
Sri Lanka's eight-wicket win in Rawalpindi was emphatic — Kusal Mendis' unbeaten 87 made a mockery of a 169 chase, and Dasun Shanaka's 3 for 21 set it up. Pakistan still lift the T20I series trophy 2-1, with Sahibzada Farhan the undisputed Player of the Series. But the ODI series now starts with Sri Lanka believing — and Pakistan's middle order under genuine scrutiny.
Stay updated with NajamSports.online for the ODI series coverage, scorecards and analysis.
Sources
- ESPNcricinfo — Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi, full scorecard (Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets)
- Cricbuzz — PAK vs SL 3rd T20I scorecard; Player of the Match Kusal Mendis 87*(48); Player of the Series Sahibzada Farhan (238 runs)