Pakistan knocked out of T20 World Cup

Pakistan fail to defeat Sri Lanka by required 65-run margin in their final Super 8 clash

Last updated: February 28, 2026 | 21:08

Jai Rai, Assistant Editor

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Pakistan's Abrar Ahmed (2L) celebrates with captain Salman Agha (L) and teammates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup Super Eights match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on February 28, 2026.

AFP

Dubai: Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup were dashed on Saturday after they failed to defeat Sri Lanka by the required 65-run margin in their final Super 8 clash at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.

Though Pakistan won the match by a close five runs, the result didn’t matter as Sri Lanka crossed the crucial 148-run mark on the fifth ball of the 16th over, officially ending Pakistan’s campaign.

As a result, New Zealand advanced as the second team from Group 2 to reach the semi-finals, joining England.

Dasun Shanaka who scored an unbeaten 76 off just 31 balls provided some entertainment in the final over.

Needing 28 runs off the last six balls, Shanak smashed the first ball to a boundary and then followed it up with three consecutive sixes. Needing just six runs off the last two deliveries, Shanaka missed both the deliveries as Sri Lanka managed 207 for six in 20 overs.

Earlier batting first, Sahibzada Farhan became the first player to score two centuries in the same T20 World Cup as Pakistan scored 212-8.

Farhan smashed a 60-ball 100 while fellow opener Fakhar Zaman cracked 84 off 42 balls as Pakistan recorded their highest total at a T20 World Cup.

Farhan scored five sixes and nine fours as he took his aggregate for the tournament to 383 runs, a T20 World Cup record, passing India’s Virat Kohli’s 319 in 2014.

Farhan and Zaman put on an opening stand of 176 in 15.5 overs. Zaman hit four sixes and nine fours.

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Jai RaiAssistant Editor

Jai is a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of experience across India and the UAE, specialising in sports reporting. Throughout his distinguished career, he has had the privilege of covering some of the biggest names and events in sports, including cricket, tennis, Formula 1 and golf. A former first-division cricket league captain himself, he brings not only a deep understanding of the game but also a cricketer's discipline to his work. His unique blend of athletic insight and journalistic expertise gives him a wide-ranging perspective that enriches his storytelling, making his coverage both detailed and engaging. Driven by an unrelenting passion for sports, he continues to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers. As the day winds down for most, he begins his work, ensuring that the most captivating stories make it to the print edition in time for readers to receive them bright and early the next morning.

Pakistan knocked out of T20 World Cup

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