Brief scores: Pakistan (212/8 in 20 overs) beat Sri Lanka (207/6 in 20 overs) by five runs in their Super 8 Group 2 match. However, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals due to an inferior net run rate compared to New Zealand in Group 2. PAK vs SL Scorecard | Highlights
Pakistan won a game of cricket. But, as usual, they lost to arithmetic. It was the familiar, frustrating ending to another disappointing T20 World Cup campaign for the former champions – a victory that ultimately served as nothing more than a scenic route to the airport. On Saturday in Pallekele, they signed off with a win so mathematically irrelevant that the only thing it secured was a dignified exit.
The result also confirmed the venues of the semifinals. Kolkata, and not Colombo, will host the first semifinal between South Africa and New Zealand on March 4. The second semifinal will feature England and the winner of Sunday’s Super 8 match between India and the West Indies in Mumbai on March 5.
Okay, back to Pallekele.
On their finest batting day of the tournament, Pakistan finally decided to flourish, largely by dropping the anchor that was Babar Azam and embracing a more modern approach.
Sahibzada Farhan smashed a record-breaking century and Fakhar Zaman bludgeoned a 42-ball 84, powering the side to 212 in 20 overs. For a brief, deluded moment, the improbable began to resemble possibility. To leapfrog New Zealand and join England in the semi-finals, Pakistan simply needed to defend that total by 65 runs. It was a straightforward task – provided one ignored the chronic unpredictability of the Pakistani bowling attack.
Barring Abrar Ahmed, who returned to the side and picked three wickets for 23 runs in four overs, none of the other Pakistan bowlers bowled with the composure needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or below. Usman Tariq, their mystery bowler with the much-debated pause, was taken to the cleaners, leaking 43 runs in four overs.
Enter Dasun Shanaka, who clearly had not read the script for Pakistan’s grand revival. His sensational, unbeaten 76 off 31 balls methodically chipped away at the net run-rate requirement until the semi-final dream was officially extinguished.
While Pakistan technically won by five runs, the atmosphere resembled a wake more than a wedding, with none of the players bothering to celebrate after the final ball was bowled. As New Zealand booked their semi-final tickets from the comfort of their hotel rooms, the Men in Green were left holding a scorecard that proved they could conquer Sri Lanka, but remained utterly powerless against permutations and combinations.
Pakistan eventually finished with three points and a net run rate of -0.123, tied on points with New Zealand, who qualified due to their superior net run rate (+1.390). England topped the group with three wins from as many matches, while Sri Lanka finished the Super 8 stage without a victory despite playing in front of passionate home crowds.
Pakistan’s first Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out due to rain. In their next game, Pakistan posted 164 on the board on a challenging batting surface in Pallekele. They had England in trouble at 58 for 4, but their captain Harry Brook struck an unbeaten 100 to guide England past the finish line.
Pakistan needed a commanding performance against Sri Lanka. However, apart from the record-breaking opening partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan failed to show the ruthlessness required to win a must-win contest by a significant margin.
COULD PAK HAVE DONE BETTER WITH THE BAT?
Needing a big total to keep their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals alive, Pakistan made drastic changes to their XI. Sahibzada Farhan opened alongside Fakhar Zaman, who returned to the side after Saim Ayub was dropped.
Pakistan also dropped Babar Azam, who had struggled to bat at a tempo that is required to be part of an international T20 side in modern-day cricket.
The new-look opening combination worked wonders, as Pakistan broke the record for the highest first-wicket partnership in T20 World Cup history. Sahibzada and Fakhar added 176 runs in just 95 deliveries, setting the tone in a must-win contest.
While Fakhar was at his imperious best, smashing four sixes and nine boundaries during his 42-ball 84, Sahibzada went one better, bringing up his century off 60 balls. The right-hander struck five sixes and nine boundaries in a commanding innings.
Sahibzada also became the first batter to score two centuries in a single edition of the T20 World Cup. The 29-year-old had earlier scored an unbeaten hundred against Namibia in Colombo, registering his maiden T20 World Cup century.
Pakistan were 176 for 1 in 15.5 overs and looked good to score a total in excess of 220. However, despite the massive opening partnership, they lost a flurry of wickets in the closing stages of the innings.
None of the remaining batters managed to reach double figures, as Pakistan scored just 35 runs in the final four overs, losing momentum at a crucial juncture.
While Group 2 of the Super 8 is done, India and the West Indies will meet in a must-win match in Kolkata on Sunday.
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