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Sri Lanka vs Pakistan 3rd T20I Full Commentary
Result · Oct 13 2026, Tue - 06:30 PM (IST)
SL 172/2 (17.1)
PAK 168/8 (20.0)
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 8 wickets
CRR:10.02
Player Of The Match
Player Of The Series
SL PAK
Welcome back for Sri Lanka's reply. The two umpires and players make their way out to the middle. Lahiru Udara and Sineth Jayawardena walk out to open the innings for the island nation. Salman Mirza has the new ball in hand, and he is raring to go. Off we go!
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Death-over fireworks - Just when Sri Lanka looked firmly on top, the death overs changed the script. Farhan and Arafat Minhas stitched together a superb 37-ball, 66-run stand to give Pakistan's total some respectability. However, Nuwan Thushara held his nerve at the death to ensure the hosts stayed below 170. Can Sri Lanka chase it down? Stay tuned as the second innings will begin shortly.
Let's hear from the Lankan all-rounder - Dasun Shanaka starts off by saying that they just wanted to hit the right lengths and lines, and he feels that they have done a good job. Further, he praises the opposition's batting unit, especially Farhan, as they still managed to pull off a good total on the board. Shanaka reveals that following discussions with their coaching staff, the players realised the critical need to bowl their slower variations in specific, disciplined areas; otherwise, opposition batters would easily capitalise and score freely. Regarding their performance in the field, Shanaka praises the squad's execution, stating that everyone fulfilled their roles effectively and delivered a marked improvement compared to their previous match. Looking at the target set on the board, he acknowledges that Pakistan possesses a strong, well-rounded bowling attack, emphasising that Sri Lanka will need to put in a high-quality batting performance to chase it down in these conditions.
Malinga strikes early - For the first time in the series, Sri Lanka were able to land the first punch in the contest as Eshan Malinga struck twice in his first over to rattle Pakistan. Sahibzada Farhan and Hasan Nawaz tried to build something big, but Vijayakanth Viyaskanth ended that stand when Nawaz went for the big hit. Wickets then fell in a heap through the middle phase, with Dasun Shanaka and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth pairing up well to do the damage as Farhan kept losing partners
Sri Lanka finish well - Two wickets and just 5 runs off the 20th over! Only time will tell how crucial that final over proves to be in the context of the game. Pakistan finish with a total that looks under par, given how the surfaces have played throughout the series.
OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! Two in two by Nuwan Thushara to close out the innings. Pakistan finish on 168/8. Razaullah shows his cards early as he walks across to the off side and exposes all three stumps. Thushara fires in a yorker right at the base of the middle stump. Razaullah has a swipe but is beaten for pace on the inside edge and hears the death rattle.
Razaullah walks out to face the first ball.
OUT! CAUGHT! End of a top knock by the Pakistan skipper. Nuwan Thushara stays full, on off and middle. Farhan has a heave across the line but skies it a long way up towards cover. Dasun Shanaka is quick to call for the catch and runs forward. He settles under the skier and pouches it safely.
Gets the yorker in, on middle. Minhas ekes out an inside edge onto the pads. The ball rolls beside the strip on the off side and the batters sneak in a quick single.
Full and on off. Farhan has a swing at it and ends up slicing it off the outer half over extra cover for one.
The partnership moves to 64, this is now the highest 7th-wicket stand for Pakistan in T20Is, according to the on-air commentators. On leg, Minhas works it in front of square on the leg side for a run.
A teaser for Sahan Arachchige. Full marks for the effort. Thushara takes pace off, full in length, on middle. Minhas swipes it away towards deep mid-wicket, where Arachchige charges in off the ropes and dives. He goes for the catch with only his left hand but can't cling on. Two runs taken.
Nuwan Thushara to close out the innings. Can Pakistan reach 180?
Slower bumper, over off. Minhas drags it in the air behind square leg. Another good over for the home side, 15 runs off it. 48 runs off the last 18 balls.
FOUR! Scythed away. Slower one, very full, outside off. Minhas gets the width to cash in and he slaps it past point. The fielder in the deep sprints to his right and flings himself at the ball but it stays out of his reach.
Slips in the yorker, on off and middle. Arafat Minhas digs it out down the deck.
SIX! Incredible shot. Fernando bowls it on a back of a length, slower one, on off. Minhas waits for the ball to arrive and stands tall, smacking it over long off for a biggie. 43 runs off the last 15 balls.
Swing and a miss! Near the tramline, on a length. Arafat has a swipe across the line but fails to connect.
FOUR! Hit hard and wide enough. Pakistan go past 150 and the 50-run stand also comes up. Yorker gone wrong, it comes out as a low full toss, on off. Minhas reaches out and slams it past extra cover, well to the right of the long off fielder.
Binura Fernando to bowl the 19th over.
SIX! Sent into the crowd! Drags the length back and the pace is taken off, on middle. Farhan clears the front leg and mows it over cow corner for half a dozen. 19 runs off the over, 33 off the last 2.
SIX! Just over! Malinga goes searching for the yorker, on middle. Sahibzada Farhan hangs deep in the crease and lofts it towards long off. Kamindu Mendis is not entirely on the fence and leaps to take the catch over his head with his right hand, but the ball sails over his head and drops beyond the ropes. Had Mendis been on the fence he was in with a chance there.
Nails the yorker, on off. Sahibzada shuffles across and jams it out to extra cover.
Wide! Slower, short ball, too high, outside off. Farhan lets it go.
FOUR! Well dug out by Farhan. Malinga does not quite manage to get it full enough for the yorker, on middle. Farhan goes deep in the crease and manages to get under the ball, carving it between cover and mid off for a boundary.
Full and at the pads. Arafat clips it through mid-wicket for one.
Low full toss, wide on off. Farhan reaches out and spanks it towards extra cover, where the fielder tumbles to his right and ends up parrying it away from the mid off fielder. Single taken.
Eshan Malinga (3-1-19-2) comes back for his final over.
Another well-executed yorker, on middle. Sahibzada digs it out to long on for a run. A productive over for Pakistan, 14 runs off it.
That’s a wrap - All that remains for Sahibzada Farhan is to collect the trophy. While he would have loved to complete a whitewash, this will still be a proud moment for him in his first stint as full-time captain and a promising start for Pakistan as they begin a new era. Attention now turns to the ODI tri-series, which features England as the third team. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will kick things off on Sunday, October 18, with the first ball scheduled for 8 am GMT. As always, you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!
PLAYER OF THE SERIES - For his brilliance with the bat, Pakistan's captain, Sahibzada Farhan, has been given the accolade. His three 50-plus scores add up to 238 runs at a strike rate of 165.27.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - The Lankan skipper, Kusal Mendis, takes home the award for his match-winning knock of 87 not out off 48 balls.
Time for the presentation ceremony...
Not enough runs - Coming into this game, Pakistan's top order had done most of the scoring in the series, leaving the middle order with little to do. They finally got their chance, but none of the batters could really make it count. Sahibzada Farhan was left fighting a lone battle for much of the innings before Arafat Minhas joined him, and together they helped Pakistan reach 168. Dasun Shanaka was the pick of the bowlers for Sri Lanka with figures of 3/21 from his 4 overs, while leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth also played his part in keeping Pakistan in check through the middle overs.
A chase without much fuss - In pursuit of 169, the Lankan top order tried to fight fire with fire against the express pace of Pakistan's quicks. They weren't entirely convincing, but still managed 59 in the Powerplay. With the required rate never really an issue, it was then about managing the chase and not giving Pakistan a sniff of a comeback. Sineth Jayawardena threw his start away, but the two Mendises came together to take the visitors home. Along the way, Kusal Mendis also became Sri Lanka's leading run-scorer in T20Is.
A comprehensive win for Sri Lanka - Pakistan take the series, but this is a much-needed consolation win for Kusal Mendis and his men. They will take plenty of confidence from this performance into the upcoming tri-series. It was a night when everything came together for Sri Lanka, while everything had to go right for Pakistan to defend 168. Taking just one wicket in the Powerplay was never going to be enough, but the bigger issue was that they simply didn't have enough runs on the board.
FOUR! That will be more than enough! Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 8 wickets in this last match of the T20I series and it's all happy faces in the Lankan dugout. Razaullah fires it fuller, just outside off. Kusal Mendis rocks back, bends his back leg, and drills it beautifully toward the left of the short cover fielder for the boundary.
Mirza produces a beauty out of nowhere. Angled in from over the wicket before straightening off the deck. Mendis attempts the flick by closing the bat face but is undone by the seam movement and is beaten past the outside edge.
Scores are level! Short and wide on off. Mendis frees his arms and cracks the cut to deep point, where the fielder tidies up and keeps the batters down to a single.
SIX! Clean strike. Kusal Mendis is showing his full range. Mirza pushes the length up, on off and middle. Mendis backs away and with a clean swing of the arms, he slams it over long off for a biggie. With that, Kusal becomes the leading run-getter for Sri Lanka in T20Is, overtaking Pathum Nissanka, according to the on-air commentators.
FOUR! Clever, very clever! Banged in short, over middle. Mendis backs away and hops. He gets his hands high to play the upper cut over the keeper's head for another four. 8 more needed for Sri Lanka.
Very full, on off. Kusal tries to repeat the dose of reverse scoop but toe-ends it back to the bowler.
FOUR! Innovative and mighty effective. Angled in towards the off stump, on a length. Mendis pre-empts the reverse scoop and backs away to give himself room. He hangs low to get under the ball and gets it over short third for a boundary.
Pushes the length up, on off. Kamindu knocks it to extra cover.
Bowls the leg-cutter, not all that short, angled into the right-hander. Mendis crouches and shovels it to the left of deep square leg for one.
Low full toss, on middle and leg. Kamindu clips it to deep mid-wicket for one.
In and around the off pole, on a back of a length. Kamindu taps it back to the bowler.
Low full toss, on off. Mendis swipes it away past mid-wicket for a run.
Pace off, on a good length. Mendis punches it to deep cover for a single. The 150 comes up for Sri Lanka.
Yet again some extra bounce, pitching it on a length, outside off. Kusal Mendis frees his arms to spank it away, but misses on the outside edge.
A touch fuller, on off, Kamindu Mendis pushes it to deep cover for one. Sri Lanka need 20 more runs.
On a length, outside off, Kusal Mendis rocks back and cuts it to the left of the sweeper cover fielder for one.
Another concussion check! The umpire calls for the physio, but Kusal Mendis points out that Khawaja Nafay was struck on the shoulder, not the helmet. The umpires, however, insist on a concussion check. The test is complete, and we are good to go.
Short of a length, wide outside off. Kamindu Mendis hangs back to cut it away, but gets beaten on the top edge as it gets some bounce off the deck. Khawaja Nafay fails to glove it and yet again takes a blow on the helmet.
Short, on middle. Kamindu Mendis clips it to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
DROPPED! Delivers it fuller, on off stump. Kusal goes for the sweep-slog but gets a top edge due to the extra bounce. The ball hangs high above the infield as Moqim runs over his right shoulder. He stretches his hands out in front but barely lays a hand on the ball. That should have been taken.
FOUR! Hammered away! Short of a length, around middle. Kamindu Mendis pulls it into the gap between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for four runs.
On a length, on off. Kusal Mendis ramps it to deep third for a single.
SIX! Some lucky runs for Kusal! Just a shade behind the good length, just outside off, angling in. Kusal Mendis tries to flick it away, but a top edge. The ball flies and bounces on the boundary cushions on the full for a six.