PAK vs SL, Tri-Series 2025: Sahibzada Farhan's Fifty, Nawaz Star As Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka By 7 Wickets

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, T20I Tri-Series 2025: Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 7 wickets in the third match of the T20I Tri-Series 2025 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday. This was Pakistan's second victory in the ongoing competition and fourth T20I win in a row.

Sahibzada Farhan smashed a couple of fours off Eshan Malinga to wrap things up a Pakistan chased down the 129-run target in 15.3 overs. The hosts produced a remarkable all-round effort and are favourites to qualify for the final. They got the better of Zimbabwe in the first match by 5 wickets. Sahibzada was the top run-getter, having played a remarkable knock of unbeaten 80 runs in 45 balls on the back of six fours and five sixes.

The right-handed batter stitched a 47-run opening stand with Saim Ayub. The latter was dismissed for 20 in the fifth over by Dasun Shanaka. On the other hand, Babar continued his disappointing run with the bat and was dismissed for 16 runs in 22 balls. He managed to hit just one six. Usman Khan remained unbeaten on 5 runs, whereas skipper Salman Agha was dismissed for a first-ball duck.

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Talking about Sahibzada, the 29-year-old has been in magnificent form. His effort of 80 runs was the highest individual score for Pakistan against Sri Lanka. The previous highest was 57 runs by Shoaib Malik at Johannesburg in the 2007 WC in their inaugural head-to-head T20I game.

This was the 15th 50-plus score by Sahibzada Farhan this year, surpassing Jos Buttler in the elite list.

Most 50-plus scores this year (T20s)

15 - Karanbir Singh

15 - Nicholas Pooran

15 - Sahibzada Farhan*

14 - Jos Buttler

13 - Shai Hope

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Earlier, Sri Lanka had a disappointing outing and managed to score just 128/7 in their 20 overs after opting to bat first. Janith Liyanage was their top run-getter with an unbeaten effort of 41 runs in 38 balls, hitting three fours and a six, whereas Kusal Perera scored 25 runs.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz was the pick of the bowlers as he took three wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs, whereas Salman Mirza, Faheem Ashraf and Abrar Ahmed found a scalp each.

"Control is very important for any bowler; if you miss your line and length and the batters will hit. On such a pitch, I focus on giving the ball revs and then on the line and length. When the ball has revs, after pitching, it does something. For the leftie, it turned out there be a bit rough for me, but for the rightie, it didn't do that much. When you are doing well, you enjoy, I'm fully focused, and I try to give my 100% every day, I try to create an impact for the team," Mohammad Nawaz said after being adjudged as the Player of the Match.