Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Highlights: PAK crash out with consolation win; NZ through to the semis
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Highlights: Thanks to Rathnayake and Shanaka, Sri Lanka threw a big scare into Pakistan before losing the contest by five runs.
- 5:30 PM IST, Feb 28Sri Lanka win hearts!
- 5:11 PM IST, Feb 28Fifty for Shanaka!
- 5:01 PM IST, Feb 28Pakistan crash out
- 4:52 PM IST, Feb 28Fifty for Rathnayake
- 4:48 PM IST, Feb 28PAK look in trouble
- 4:39 PM IST, Feb 28Another one goes
- 4:33 PM IST, Feb 28Unstoppable Abrar!
- 4:22 PM IST, Feb 28Asalanka dropped and removed!
- 4:16 PM IST, Feb 28Usman Tariq attacked
- 4:11 PM IST, Feb 28Powerplay ends
- 4:01 PM IST, Feb 28Abrar strikes!
- 3:55 PM IST, Feb 28Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Mishara looking good
- 3:49 PM IST, Feb 28Sha
- 3:46 PM IST, Feb 28In-form Nissanka goes
- 3:40 PM IST, Feb 285 off the first over
- 3:28 PM IST, Feb 28The equation for Pakistan now to qualify
- 3:16 PM IST, Feb 28Farhan goes after a brilliant century
- 3:11 PM IST, Feb 28Shanaka takes two in an over
- 3:01 PM IST, Feb 28Two quick wickets for Sri Lanka
- 2:52 PM IST, Feb 28Assault continues
- 2:47 PM IST, Feb 28Wellalage drops Farhan
- 2:39 PM IST, Feb 28Fakhar goes ballistic
- 2:31 PM IST, Feb 28Lucky Zaman and Qudrat Ka Nizam!
- 2:23 PM IST, Feb 28100 up for Pakistan
- 2:19 PM IST, Feb 28No breakthrough yet for Sri Lanka
- 2:14 PM IST, Feb 28Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Pakistan getting ahead
- 2:00 PM IST, Feb 28Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Farhan goes past Kohli
- 1:53 PM IST, Feb 28Theekshana fails to impress in his first over
- 1:49 PM IST, Feb 28Just when we said that!
- 1:43 PM IST, Feb 28Things are relatively quiet as of now
- 1:28 PM IST, Feb 28National anthems underway
- 1:20 PM IST, Feb 28Shanaka explanation
- 1:11 PM IST, Feb 28Pakistan put into bat
- 12:58 PM IST, Feb 28Historic day for J&K in India
- 12:42 PM IST, Feb 28We are approaching toss time!
- 12:26 PM IST, Feb 28The big question: will Babar Azam play today?
- 12:12 PM IST, Feb 28Salman Agha, another captain to reach 50!
- 11:55 AM IST, Feb 28Qudrat ka Nizam!
- 11:41 AM IST, Feb 28Pakistan are two points behind NZ in race for second
- 11:30 AM IST, Feb 28HELLO AND WELCOME!

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Highlights: Sri Lanka needed 28 to win from the last over bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi and despite Shanaka doing his best (three sixes and a four), Sri Lanka fell short of the target (213 to win) by five runs. What a game! The co-hosts definitely won hearts. Shanaka scored 76 not out off just 31 balls. Rathnayake on the other hand scored 58 off 37 balls. So now New Zealand reach the semis where they are likely to play South Africa. We will have a clearer picture tomorrow after the two matches in Group 1....Read More
Pakistan's semis hopes get crushed as Sri Lanka go past 147 all thanks to a 32-ball fifty from Rathnayake. The match is still on and it appears the Sri Lankans are now aiming for the target, that is 213. Shanaka is also going great guns at the other end. The Pakistanis look totally demoralised which is understandable. Don't forget, New Zealand have now qualified for the semifinals, along with England from Group 2.
Sri Lanka have kept losing wickets at regular intervals. That means Pakistan remain in the hunt. Abrar Ahmed has been particularly impressive with three wickets on a flat deck and with dew all around. But still a lot of work is to be done, if Pakistan want to qualify for the semifinals. Spare a thought for the Kiwis, who must sweating all over at present, wherever they might be. They want Pakistan to fail here so that they can qualify instead.
A mixed powerplay performance from Sri Lanka. They are 49/2. Mishara was looking in great touch before being bowled by Abrar for 26 off 15 balls. Nissanka fell early on to Naseem Shah. Asalanka and Rathnayake are at the crease and the co-hosts look to them to take them over the line.
A flurry of wickets towards the ends sees Pakistan finish on 212. They should have scored 20 more. Now they need to restrict the Lankans to 147 or less to qualify for the semifinals. The way the wicket has played so far and then add the dew factor to the equation, it will take an enormous effort from them to meet their target. Take a bow, Sahibzada Farhan. What a innings he played. His second ton of the tournament. He departed for exact 100 off 60 balls. Fakhar Zaman, 84 off 42 balls, also played a gem of an innings.
Fakhar Zaman and Khawaja Nafay get out in the blink of an eye. Fakhar departs after a 42-ball 84. What an innings. A minor comeback by Sri Lanka. But Pakistan still look good for a big total. So far it's been a forgettable outing for the co-hosts.
Pakistan reach 100 in the 10th over without losing any wicket. They have got just the start they wanted in this crucial game. Both Sahibzada and Zaman are firing on all cylinders. There is nothing in the pitch either. Zaman had a nick in the next over but Sri Lankan captain Shanaka didn't bother to review it. He also reaches a fifty shortly after. Pakistan should score a 200 plus total from here.
Sahibzada Farhan is now the highest run-getter in an single edition of a T20 World Cup, getting past Virat Kohli's 319 in Bangladesh in 2014. Pakistan have got the ideal start. At the end of the powerplay, they are 64/0.
Big news coming in. Babar Azam has been dropped for this game. That's along the expected lines but Saim Ayub and Salman Mirza have been dropped too. Sri Lanka make two changes too. Mishara for Kusal Mendis and Janith for Hemantha.
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
Sri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara (wk), Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka
Pakistan has to be the luckiest team in the history of the World Cup, be it 50 overs or 20 overs. They were pretty much out of semifinal contention following their defeat against England in their previous Super 8 game, but New Zealand's defeat by England on Friday night has now given them some glimmer of hope.
Basically, if Pakistan beat co-hosts Sri Lanka today and improve their net-run rate in the process, to the extent they leave New Zealand behind in Group 2, they will qualify for the semis along with England.
Pakistan's net-run rate at present is -0.461. New Zealand, on the other hand, have a net run rate of 1.390. So, one can see Pakistan will really have to register a big win to qualify.
Fans would remember how Pakistan were almost out of the 2022 T20 World Cup, but then the Netherlands staged one of the biggest upsets of T20 World Cup history to help the Pakistanis through to the next stage. They ended up playing the final where they were beaten by England.
And there have been more similar instances. In fact, during the 1992 World Cup, they were totally in the doldrums before some lucky results from other matches sustained them in the tournament, and they went on to win it.
Indian fans and the cricket world at large won't mind if Pakistan do qualify because if India beat the West Indies tomorrow at the Eden Gardens, it will be them lining up against Pakistan in the semis, in all likelihood. South Africa are favourites to finish first in the group as they play Zimbabwe in Delhi in the first match tomorrow.
Pallekele might be the best ground in Sri Lanka to provide the weight of runs and the kind of scoring rate that Pakistan need to qualify – it is a smaller ground and not quite as slow as Colombo RPS, and Pakistan will be gunning either for a first-innings score in excess of 200, or a chase of sub-150 that the attacking openers can take down.
The concern will be the nothing-to-lose Sri Lankans, who have shown quality of their own with a big win over Australia in the group stages, and with strong bowling performances against England and New Zealand. It was their batting that failed them in those matches, but the likes of Pathum Nissanka will want to leave their fans with something to celebrate.
Squads:
Pakistan Squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq
Sri Lanka Squad: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madhushanka, Pramod Madushan, Dushan Hemantha
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Highlights: Sri Lanka win hearts!
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Highlights: They lose by five runs but win hearts. Needed 28 runs to win in the last over bowled by Shaheen. Captain Shanaka fell just short. He scored three sixes and a four but couldn't score any runs off the last two balls. A great match by all means. However, Pakistan crash out with this consolation win of theirs. From Group 2, New Zealand now qualify for the semis along with England. Tomorrow there are two matches in Group 1 and after that we will know who is playing whom in the semis. Do join us at 1 pm tomorrow for the South Africa-Zimbabwe game. Later in the day, it will be India vs the West Indies with the winners to reach the semis.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Fifty for Shanaka!
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Off just 24 balls. Shadab Khan has no answers to his assault. Two big sixes in the over. Sri Lanka need 28 runs to win in the last over now. Good thing is Shanaka is on strike.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Pakistan crash out, New Zealand throug
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: As they have failed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less. The match is not over yet. Rathnayake and Shanaka look dangerous at the crease. They need 52 runs off 18 balls. Remember, they have done it before. Match on.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Fifty for Rathnayake
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Two big sixes in the over and Pavan Rathnayake scores his fifty off just 32 balls. He has looked solid out there. He did it in style, hitting Shadab Khan over midwicket. First six was a powerful slog sweep.
Sri Lanka 135/5 in 15 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: PAK look in trouble
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Shanaka dispatches a long hop by Nawaz into the stands and then Rathnayake rubs it in with a four through the covers. Pakistan need to restrict the Lankans to 147 or less to qualify for the semis.
Sri Lanka 120/5 after 14 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Another one goes
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Mohd Nawaz gets in on the act now and cleans up Liyanage who shows all his stumps. Gets cleaned up. The Pakistanis stay in the hunt. Sri Lanka 101/5 after 12 overs.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Unstoppable Abrar!
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Now he bowls Kamindu. The ball was slow and low. Cleaned up. Sri Lanka four down. Real skills. Usman Tariq on the other hand is struggling with the dew all around.
Sri Lanka 94/4 after 11 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Asalanka dropped but dispatched shortly after
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Khawaja Nafay drops the basman at cover. Should have been taken at this level. Abrar Ahmed can't believe it. A run out opportunity is missed too. Will it cost Pakistan? No, it won't. Off the penultimate ball he bowls Asalanka as the Sri Lankan goes for a big slog sweep. He made 25. Kamindu up next.
Sri Lanka 75/3 after 9 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Usman Tariq attacked
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: After a quiet 7th over by Abrar, Asalanka takes on Usman Tariq in the next, the mystery spinner. A boundary through a powerful sweep shot and then a six straight back. Asalanka is reading Tariq very well and that's bad news for Pakistan. They are really banking on him.
Sri Lanka 69/2 after 8 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Powerplay ends
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Sri Lanka 49/2 after six overs. Off the last of the powerplay bowled by Naseem Shah, a short ball, Asalanka moves back and sends it into the stands. What a shot. The Sri Lankans don't look in a hurry at present. Not sure, if they are playing to win or playing to stop the Pakistanis from qualifying.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Abrar strikes!
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: First up! Mishara looks to cut the ball, fails to connect and the ball hits his off stump. He goes for 26 off 15 balls. Rathnayake joins Asalanka at the crease. There was a run out opportunity off the last ball, required a direct hit from Shadab Khan but he missed it. Sri Lanka 37/2 after 5 overs.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Mishara looking good
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Naseem Shah continues. He is mixing it really well. He is good at bowling cutters and that's what he is trying to do at present. However, Mishara off the third ball unleashes another four through the covers region. He is looking in great touch. When he played before in the tournament, he played a lot of dot balls. Not today though.
Sri Lanka 33/1 after 4 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Shaheen attacked!
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Mishara attacks Shaheen Shah Afridi, hits him for a six over long-on off the second ball. Then a four through the covers. One more similar looking four off the penultimate ball. Deft touch.
Sri Lanka 25/1 in 3 overs.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: In-form Nissanka goes
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: The only Sri Lanka batsman in form in this tournament has gone back to the dugout as he, moving away, lobs a simple catch to Mohd Nawaz at extra cover. Naseem Shah accounts for his downfall. Sri Lanka 10/1 after 2 overs.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: 5 off the first over
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Shaheen Shah Afridi bowls the first over. It's a quiet over. Mishara gets an edgy four off the last ball. Nissanka is key for Sri Lanka. If he bats the way he can, SL will try winning the match. Anyway they have nothing to do with 147. They will look to win.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: The equation for Pakistan now to qualify
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: They need to bowl SL out for 147 or less, rather restrict. Whether they bowl them out is irrelevant. The way the wicket has played so far, Sri Lanka should score more than that. But then it's a game of cricket. Anything can happen. Stay tuned.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Farhan goes after a brilliant century
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Off the first ball, he finds the fielder at mid-off. Departs for 100 off 60 balls. Shaheen Shah Afridi comes in and gets a four off the first ball. Lbw appeal and a review has been taken. He looks plumb. Shaheen is walking off. Now a run-out off the penultimate ball. There is a bit of a confusion as to who goes, turns out it's Naseem Shah.
Pakistan eventually finish on 212/8, look 20 short at the moment.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Shanaka takes two in an over
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: There is a rush of wickets at present. Fourth wicket down for Pakistan. Mohd Nawaz goes for a duck. Theekshana takes a simple catch at cover off the bowling of Shanaka. One more wicket goes. Salman Ali Agha also goes for a duck. Shanaka does a great job in this over. Pakistan losing track a little.
Pakistan 203/5 after 19 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Two quick wickets for Sri Lanka
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Fakhar Zaman and Khwaja Nafay depart in the blink of an eye. Zaman departs after a 42-ball 84. What an innings! One wonders why he doesn't open for Pakistan anymore. In fact, one wonders why he is not always part of the XI. He is a rare breed. Should be backed at all times.
Run out off the last ball of the 18th over by Chameera. It's Shadab Khan for 7. Pakistan 198/3 after 18 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Assault continues
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Chameera bowls the 16th over. And guess what, a six (Liyanage, at long-off, runs to this left and takes the catch but touches the rope with his feet) and a four straight away by Farhan. Then a two through the covers. Breakthrough at last. Big inside edge. Fakhar goes for 84 off 42 balls.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Wellalage drops Farhan
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Nothing is going Sri Lanka's way. Farhan is dropped by Wellalage at long-on. Shocking display from the co-hosts. Bowling, fielding everything at sea at present. At this rate, they should score 230 plus.
Pakistan 163/0 after 15 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Fakhar goes ballistic
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Liyanage comes on to bowl his first over and Fakhar Zaman sends him over the rope down fine-leg. What a shot! Then a four in the square leg area. Liyanage looks dejected. Can he make a comeback in this over? He does, the rest of deliveries yield a single each.
Pakistan 150/0 after 14 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Lucky Zaman and Qudrat Ka Nizam!
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: There was a caught behind off Theekshana off the last ball of the 11th over. The umpire gave it ‘not out.’ Shanaka didn't bother to review. “Qudrat ka Nizam” in full force. In the next over by Wellalage, Fakhar also reached a fifty, he celebrates it with a six off the next ball. Sri Lanka look totally hopeless. 18 from the over.
Pakistan 125/0 after 12 overs
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: 100 up for Pakistan
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: Excellent batting performance so far by Pakistan. 102/0 after 10 overs. There appears to be no breakthrough in sight, if truth be told. How much should they at least score to have a realistic chance? Maybe 230. Let's see if they can do it.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: No breakthrough yet for Sri Lanka
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20 World Cup Live Score: To be honest it's been toothless bowling so far from the Sri Lankans. Also there appears to be nothing in the pitch, even Theekshana and Wellalage are not getting much purchase. Sahibzada meanwhile reaches another fifty. He has been in terrific form all through.
Pakistan 90/0 after 9 overs








Live Score
Cricket Players