Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka by 3 Wickets to Win the ODI Tri-Series Final in Lahore
By NajamSports Team | October 31, 2026
I have watched plenty of Pakistan finals that slipped away in the last ten overs, and for a long stretch tonight I feared this would be another one. It was not. Pakistan chased down 326 against Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, finishing on 331 for 7 in 48.3 overs to win the ODI tri-series final by 3 wickets, with captain Shaheen Shah Afridi smashing the winning six off Dilshan Madushanka. After being bowled out for 110 by this same Sri Lanka side four days earlier, this was not just a trophy — it was a statement of character.
The headline act was Fakhar Zaman. The 36-year-old opener, who had managed just 16, 0, 10 and 5 in his four earlier innings of the series, produced 127 off 99 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes, and passed 4,000 ODI runs along the way. It was his 12th ODI hundred, his first in nearly three years, and his second in an ODI tournament final after the 2017 Champions Trophy — a feat only Saeed Anwar had previously achieved for Pakistan.
What Happened?
Sri Lanka, sent in by Shaheen after Pakistan won the toss, posted 325 for 8 in their 50 overs. Kamindu Mendis scored a maiden ODI century, 131 off 128 balls with 12 fours and two sixes, and shared a 146-run third-wicket stand with Pavan Rathnayake, who made 77 off 65 balls. Avishka Fernando added 38 in an 87-run opening stand with Kamindu.
Pakistan pulled the innings back superbly at the death. Shaheen finished with 2 for 50, Salman Ali Agha took 2 for 44, and Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah claimed two wickets each, as Sri Lanka managed only 38 runs for three wickets in the last five overs.
The chase began horribly. Maaz Sadaqat fell for 5 and Babar Azam for a duck, both to Madushanka, and Pakistan were 14 for 2. Then Fakhar and wicketkeeper Saad Baig rebuilt with a 149-run third-wicket partnership. Saad scored 74 off 75 balls before falling to Maheesh Theekshana. Fakhar, dropped three times, reached his hundred off 84 balls and was eventually bowled by Madushanka for 127 in the 34th over.
At 224 for 4 after 35 overs, Pakistan still needed 102. The finish belonged to the young middle order. Arafat Minhas smashed 61 off just 31 balls, including four sixes, and Hasan Nawaz finished unbeaten on 37 off 45 balls. Even after Arafat and Faheem Ashraf fell in the 48th over with the scores level on tension, Shaheen walked in and launched Madushanka over the ropes with nine balls to spare.
Full Scorecard Summary
- Sri Lanka 325 for 8 in 50 overs: Kamindu Mendis 131, Pavan Rathnayake 77, Avishka Fernando 38; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-50, Salman Ali Agha 2-44, Haris Rauf 2-60, Naseem Shah 2-80
- Pakistan 331 for 7 in 48.3 overs: Fakhar Zaman 127, Saad Baig 74, Arafat Minhas 61, Hasan Nawaz 37 not out; Dilshan Madushanka 3-63, Asitha Fernando 2-72
- Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets, with 9 balls remaining, at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- Player of the match performance: Fakhar Zaman's 127 off 99 balls, taking him past 4,000 ODI runs in 96 innings
Why This Win Matters
First, it rewrites the story of this series for Pakistan. Four days ago they were humiliated for 110 in this same city, and the questions were brutal: was the batting too fragile, were the seniors finished, was the experiment with youth a mistake? A final win does not erase those questions, but it answers the biggest one — this team can absorb a punch and still win a high-pressure chase.
Second, Fakhar's innings changes his own immediate future. Before tonight, his series read like a farewell. Now it reads like a revival. Selectors love players who deliver in finals, and a 127 in a 326 chase, after three dropped catches and a long century drought, is the kind of innings that buys a player another year. I would keep him at the top for the upcoming assignments and let the young openers learn beside him rather than instead of him.
Third, and most important for me, is what the finish tells us about Pakistan's depth. When Fakhar fell and Salman followed for 17, this chase could have collapsed. Instead, a 94-run stand between Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz, finished off by the captain's six, showed a middle order that does not wait for permission. Arafat's 61 off 31 balls was the innings that turned a tense chase into a comfortable one, and it came from a player who had already bowled ten overs for 64 earlier in the day.
Our Analysis
Here is my honest read: Pakistan won this final with their batting depth, not their bowling discipline. Naseem Shah conceding 80 runs and the attack leaking 325 on a slow Lahore pitch would have lost most finals. What saved Pakistan was a chase built in layers — Fakhar's aggression, Saad's composure, then Arafat's fearless hitting. That is a template worth keeping: one senior anchor, one young accumulator, one late hitter.
For Sri Lanka, this will hurt because they did almost everything right. Kamindu's maiden hundred was superb, Rathnayake's 77 was full of intent, and Madushanka's three wickets included both openers. Their problem was the same as Pakistan's in reverse — they had no finisher to push 325 towards 350 when Pakistan's bowlers squeezed the last five overs. The 146-run stand deserved a bigger total, and Sri Lanka will know it.
Looking ahead, Pakistan should resist the temptation to treat this trophy as proof that everything is fixed. The top order still needs stability — Babar's duck tonight continues a worrying run in this series — and the bowling at the death still needs work. But a trophy won from 14 for 2, chasing 326, is a genuine foundation. The next step is carrying this belief into the Test series, where patience, not power-hitting, will decide things.
Conclusion
Pakistan are ODI tri-series champions, and Fakhar Zaman is a finals player once again. Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis announced himself with a maiden century, but it was Pakistan's night in Lahore — 331 for 7, a trophy lifted, and a young core that proved it belongs on the big stage. Stay updated with NajamSports.online for the latest cricket news, match reports and analysis.
Read More
- Pakistan vs Sri Lanka ODI Tri-Series Final Preview: Playing 11, Head-to-Head, Prediction
- Pakistan Bowled Out for 110 as Sri Lanka Reach the Tri-Series Final
- Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka by 37 Runs in the Tri-Series Opener
Sources
- Full scorecard, Pakistan vs Sri Lanka ODI tri-series final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, October 31, 2026
- Geo Super, Fakhar Zaman equals Saeed Anwar's record with century in ODI tri-series final
- A Sports, Fakhar Zaman ends long century drought in ODI tri-series final
- Dawn, Kamindu Mendis blitz sets Pakistan 326 to win in tri-series final
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka ODI tri-series final? Pakistan won by 3 wickets, chasing 326 and finishing on 331 for 7 in 48.3 overs at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
How many runs did Fakhar Zaman score in the final? Fakhar Zaman scored 127 off 99 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes, passing 4,000 ODI runs in the process.
Who scored a century for Sri Lanka in the final? Kamindu Mendis scored his maiden ODI century, 131 off 128 balls, while Pavan Rathnayake made 77.
How did Pakistan win the final? After Arafat Minhas smashed 61 off 31 balls, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi hit the winning six off Dilshan Madushanka in the 49th over, with nine balls remaining.