AI Simulation, PAK vs SL | Azam anchors, Afridi seals tight finish as Pakistan edge Sri Lanka by 8 runs

Pitch and Weather

Rawalpindi served up a fresh T20 wicket offering lively bounce and early seam movement, especially under the lights. Pacers enjoyed notable carry with the new ball before the surface settled into a truer batting strip. Heavy dew was expected to form after 8 PM, adding a layer of difficulty for defending teams and allowing chasers to trust their strokes more freely. The outfield remained rapid throughout, rewarding anything timed through the infield. Conditions stayed clear and dry with only a mild breeze sweeping across the ground.

Toss

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first, backing themselves to exploit the early seam movement and take advantage of the dew later in the evening.

Lineups

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan Malinga

Match Report

Pakistan were put into bat and responded with controlled aggression from the outset. Saim Ayub continued his powerplay resurgence, timing the ball beautifully on a surface that still held some early spice. He capitalised on anything short, crashing six fours in a vibrant 41 off 24 balls, and alongside Sahibzada Farhan ensured Pakistan raced to 56 in the first six overs. Sri Lanka, despite the occasional breakthrough, struggled to maintain sustained pressure.

Once the field spread, Babar Azam took over with a masterclass in pace management. Eschewing unnecessary risk early, he manoeuvred the ball into gaps and punished rare errors in length from the Lankan spinners. Hasaranga’s control through the middle overs slowed Pakistan’s momentum, dismissing two batters and keeping the hosts below the 200-mark trajectory they once appeared headed for. Fakhar Zaman chipped in with a brisk 27 while Usman Khan’s late flurry – including a six over long-on – added valuable runs at the death. Babar’s assured 64 (45) remained the backbone of Pakistan’s total of 184/5, a total considered above par given the early assistance and longer straight boundaries.

Sri Lanka’s reply began shakily. Kusal Mendis fell early to a trademark Shaheen inswinger, and Kusal Perera too succumbed inside the powerplay as Pakistan’s new-ball pair asserted their dominance. Yet Pathum Nissanka was unfazed, compiling a polished innings filled with crisp placement and delicate late cuts. His 52 off 37 balls kept Sri Lanka within striking distance even as wickets periodically fell at the other end.

Kamindu Mendis and Nissanka briefly steadied the chase, adding fluency against the spinners before Abrar Ahmed’s deception broke the stand. His double strike – removing Rajapaksa and Kamindu – swung the pendulum back toward Pakistan at a crucial moment. Hasaranga threatened to counterattack with a couple of lusty blows, but Naseem Shah’s outstanding 17th over, costing only six runs, ratcheted up the pressure.

With 28 needed from the last three overs, Sri Lanka needed one big over. Instead, Shaheen returned with icy precision, nailing yorkers to dismiss both Hasaranga and Shanaka. From there, despite some adventurous swings from the tail, the visitors never quite recovered the required momentum and were ultimately restricted to 176/8.

Pakistan’s blend of early aggression, Babar’s anchoring role, and disciplined death bowling proved decisive as they secured a hard-earned eight-run victory.

Player of the Match

Babar Azam – for a classy, controlled 64 (45) that provided Pakistan with a total strong enough to withstand Sri Lanka’s spirited chase.