Cricket tri-series final: Pakistan beats Sri Lanka by three wickets
Pakistan chased 326 in Lahore to win the one-day international tri-series trophy, helped by Fakhar Zaman’s 127.
Loading… Բեռնվում է…
Pakistan chased 326 in Lahore to win the one-day international tri-series trophy, helped by Fakhar Zaman’s 127.
Pakistan chased a target of 326 to beat Sri Lanka by three wickets and win the one-day international (ODI) tri-series trophy at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on 31 October 2026.
Pakistan had lost its previous meeting with Sri Lanka after four preceding wins. In the final, Pakistan recovered from two early wickets and another late setback to complete what the Guardian described as the joint-highest successful chase in an ODI final.
Dilshan Madushanka reduced Pakistan to 14–2 — 14 runs with two batters dismissed. Opener Fakhar Zaman and wicketkeeper Saad Baig then rebuilt the innings. Baig scored 74 before Maheesh Theekshana caught a shot off his own bowling with Pakistan at 163–3.
Fakhar survived an early chance that a boundary fielder tipped over the rope for six runs, followed by a dropped return catch from Theekshana in the 25th over. He went on to make 127 before Madushanka bowled him at 220–4.
Pakistan slipped to 230–5 before Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz rebuilt again. Boundaries initially dried up, but the pair accelerated late. Minhas made 61, hitting consecutive sixes and then a four off Asitha Fernando to leave Pakistan two runs short of victory.
Fernando dismissed Minhas and Faheem Ashraf on consecutive balls with the score at 324. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi settled the final by hitting the ball over the boundary on the full for six, sending the Lahore crowd into celebration.
Sri Lanka finished its 50 overs at 325–8. Kamindu Mendis led the innings with 131, his first ODI century. Pavan Rathnayake contributed 77, and their 146-run partnership built the platform for Sri Lanka’s total.
Ben Duckett’s career-best 167 and Liam Dawson’s four wickets give England a consolation win in Lahore, with Sri Lanka already through to the final against Pakistan.
Afridi dismissed Mendis leg before wicket, meaning the batter’s body blocked a delivery judged to be heading toward the stumps. Pakistan took 6 wickets in Sri Lanka’s final ten overs, limiting the late scoring surge.
In its August 19 announcement, ICC described the tri-series as preparation for the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Its schedule has Pakistan and Sri Lanka continuing with a two-match World Test Championship series, with the first Test starting 9 November in Rawalpindi and the second starting 17 November in Lahore.
3 min
Sri Lanka’s win eliminates England and sets up Saturday’s final against Pakistan, leaving Thursday’s England–Sri Lanka match with no bearing on qualification.
2 min
The council also reprimanded Rauf over an exchange with Will Jacks. England’s players were fined 15% of their match fees for bowling too slowly in Pakistan’s Lahore win.
2 min