ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan Knocked Out Of Tournament Despite Thrilling Win Over Sri Lanka, New Zealand Through To Semis

ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 5 runs in match 50 of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Despite winning their last game in the Super 8 stage, Pakistan have been eliminated from the tournament as they couldn't stop Sri Lanka from reaching the 147-run mark during the latter's run chase. New Zealand have become the second team after England from Group 2 to qualify for the semifinal. 

Having produced fireworks during the run chase, Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka couldn't finish it off as Sri Lanka fell short in the final over. The hosts needed 28 runs in the final over, but Shanaka kept the hopes alive as he smashed Shaheen Afridi for a boundary and three sixes on the first four balls. However, he ended up missing out on the last two deliveries. Shanaka remained unbeaten on 76 runs in just 31 balls on the back of two fours and eight sixes.

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Sri Lanka were restricted to 207/6 in their 20 overs, but did enough to entertain the home fans and knock Pakistan out of the competition. Apart from Shanaka, Pavan Rathanayake came up with a crucial effort of 58 runs in 37 balls with the help of four boundaries and three sixes. For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed was the pick of bowlers with three wickets for just 23 runs in his four overs, whereas Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Nawaz found a scalp each.

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Earlier, Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 212/8 in their 20 overs after being put into bat first on the back of yet another masterclass from the in-form Sahibzada Farhan. This was Farhan's second century in the tournament as he smashed multiple records during his stay at the crease. He scored 100 runs in 60 balls with the help of nine fours and five sixes. On the other hand, Fakhar Zaman, who was promoted up the order, played a fiery knock of 84 runs in 42 balls, hitting nine fours and four sixes. 

Sahibzada, who is the leading run-getter in the T20 World Cup 2026, won his third Player of the Match award of the tournament. "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," Sahibzada Farhan said in the post-match presentation.