Pakistan vs Sri Lanka LIVE: ICC T20 World Cup 2026

SL 10-1

Target 213

Good over from Naseem Shah, restricting Sri Lanka to five runs and picking up the wicket of Pathum Nissanka.

Remember, keeping Sri Lanka to 147 or under will send Pakistan through to the semi-finals - and send New Zealand home.

Post

The players are out in the middle for the second innings.

Shaheen Shah Afridi will open the bowling for Pakistan, with Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara batting for Sri Lanka.

Will Pakistan get through to the last four? Thumbs up for yes. Thumbs down for no.

Post

Pakistan would have gratefully accepted this total if you had offered it to them, mind.

In terms of net run-rate calculations for Pakistan to progress to the semi-finals I can report that Elizabeth Botcherby is a better mathematician than I.

She will crunch the numbers and let you know the specifics while talking you through the Sri Lanka chase.

'It went to plan...'

Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman: "At the moment, we are really happy. We were looking for 200 and we got 212. So far, so good, but we have to bowl well.

"I knew yesterday at training [I was opening the batting]. Mike [Hesson] said are you ready and I said of course, I'm ready for any position."

On Pakistan's game plan: "Our game plan was very simple. We were not going on every ball. We were looking for good cricket shots. If we have wickets in hand, we can score big and it went to plan. There was nothing big in our mind. We knew if we had wickets in hand, we can do anything."

On the conditions: "I think it changes. With the new ball, it's not that difficult to play. As the ball gets older, it's not that easy. I personally think the wicket was not that extraordinarily good for batting. We scored enough runs and now we have to defend."

Sri Lanka set 213 for victory

It's been nagging at me, and feels hyper critical, but I cannot help but feel Sahibzada Farhan taking a single to reach his hundred with 12 balls left has cost Pakistan a few more runs.

Had he turned down the single there might have been a few more boundaries on offer in the over and he could have smartly farmed the strike.

Of course, he might have got out next ball as well...

Food for thought, anyway.

Post

Alex Hartley

Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

They did fall away. At the start of the day, if you'd offered them 212, Pakistan would have taken it. Brilliant at the top of the order. Farhan getting his second century of the tournament.

At one stage it looked like they should've got 240.

But when you lose one, play does halt and a batter has to settle. Into the final five overs, you might as well go for it.

Click here to read article