Dambulla, January 11, 2026 — In a high-octane clash at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 14 runs to claim a memorable win in the third and final T20 International of the series.
Sri Lanka posted a competitive 160 for 6 in the shortened 12-over contest, powered by a destructive cameo from captain Dasun Shanaka (34 off 9 balls) and solid contributions from Kusal Mendis and other batters. Pakistan’s chase was spirited, led by Salman Agha’s 45 off 12 balls, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers made just enough breakthroughs to keep the visitors at bay.
All-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was among the standout performers with the ball, claiming four crucial wickets to derail Pakistan’s momentum midway through the chase.
Rain had earlier delayed play, truncating the match to 12 overs per side, but the action was far from dampened. Pakistan looked dangerous at times with a healthy run rate, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers held their nerve in the closing stages to ensure the hosts finished on top.
With this win, Sri Lanka concluded the T20 series with a morale-boosting victory, showcasing depth in batting and incisiveness in bowling against a strong Pakistan side.
Sri Lanka Innings
160/6 (12 Overs) | Run Rate: 13.33
| Batsman | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c Faheem Ashraf b Naseem Shah | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kamil Mishara | c †Khawaja Nafay b Mohammad Wasim | 20 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 250.00 |
| Kusal Mendis † | c Usman Khan b Mohammad Wasim | 30 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 187.50 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | c Sahibzada Farhan b Mohammad Nawaz | 22 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 146.66 |
| Charith Asalanka | c Mohammad Nawaz b Faheem Ashraf | 21 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 161.53 |
| Dasun Shanaka (c) | c Saim Ayub b Mohammad Wasim | 34 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 377.77 |
| Janith Liyanage | not out | 22 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 275.00 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Extras: 10 (lb 3, w 7)
Did not bat:
Maheesh Theekshana, Eshan Malinga, Matheesha Pathirana
Fall of Wickets:
1-10 (Nissanka, 0.6 ov), 2-22 (Mishara, 1.5 ov), 3-54 (de Silva, 5.1 ov), 4-100 (Mendis, 8.5 ov), 5-102 (Asalanka, 9.1 ov), 6-154 (Shanaka, 11.4 ov)
Pakistan Bowling
| Bowler | O | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naseem Shah | 3 | 35 | 1 | 11.66 |
| Mohammad Wasim | 3 | 54 | 3 | 18.00 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 2 | 22 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Shadab Khan | 2 | 19 | 0 | 9.50 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8.00 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 1 | 19 | 1 | 19.00 |
Pakistan Innings
146/8 (12 Overs) | Run Rate: 12.16
Target: 161 runs
| Batsman | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | b Eshan Malinga | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 128.57 |
| Saim Ayub | c Malinga b Hasaranga | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 |
| Salman Agha (c) | c Malinga b Pathirana | 45 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 375.00 |
| Usman Khan | c Nissanka b Hasaranga | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | b Pathirana | 28 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 186.66 |
| Khawaja Nafay † | c de Silva b Hasaranga | 26 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 173.33 |
| Shadab Khan | c Malinga b Hasaranga | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Faheem Ashraf | run out (†Mendis) | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 300.00 |
| Mohammad Wasim | not out | 7 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 87.50 |
| Naseem Shah | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Extras: 8 (lb 1, w 7)
Did not bat:
Abrar Ahmed
Fall of Wickets:
1-9 (Farhan, 1.2 ov), 2-60 (Salman Agha, 3.4 ov), 3-62 (Saim Ayub, 4.1 ov), 4-67 (Usman Khan, 4.5 ov), 5-116 (Nafay, 9.1 ov), 6-123 (Shadab Khan, 9.4 ov), 7-133 (Nawaz, 10.3 ov), 8-141 (Faheem Ashraf, 11.1 ov)
Sri Lanka Bowling
| Bowler | O | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maheesh Theekshana | 2 | 27 | 0 | 13.50 |
| Eshan Malinga | 2 | 27 | 1 | 13.50 |
| Matheesha Pathirana | 3 | 34 | 2 | 11.33 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 3 | 35 | 4 | 11.66 |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 2 | 22 | 0 | 11.00 |
