Pakistan’s Super 8 night in Pallekele began with a selection decision that guaranteed noise. Babar Azam and Saim Ayub were dropped, a blunt call in a tournament where reputation often gets a longer rope than form. It also meant Pakistan had no option but to justify the shift in immediate tempo, not a slow burn.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl, backing the chase and hoping early wickets would expose Pakistan’s new-order nerves. Instead, Pakistan’s openers offered a different kind of response – clear roles, sustained intent, and zero disruption. They surged to 176 before losing Fakhar Zaman, building a platform that not only dominated the innings but also altered the feel of the contest long before the second innings even started.
A selection gamble that needed instant returns
Leaving out Babar Azam is never just about batting slots; it is a message about intent and hierarchy. Dropping Saim alongside him made it even clearer Pakistan were chasing a different rhythm – quicker start, less deference, more impact up top.
That urgency showed in how Pakistan began. There was no cautious settling-in phase. The tone was set early, and once Pakistan got ahead of Sri Lanka’s lengths, they never let the bowlers reset. In a game shaped by selection shock, Pakistan’s response was to remove doubt through quick scoring.
Sahibzada Farhan sets the stage on fire
The two openers of Pakistan set the stage brilliantly. While Farhan made great use of his already bright form, Fakhar Zaman made the most of the platform he was given. Farhan provided the initial fluency, keeping the scoring rate up during the power play. This allowed Fakhar Zaman the time to settle down and then take over once he had the idea of the conditions.
The duo added 176 runs for the opening wicket, before Dusmantha Chameera dismissed the left-handed opener. Zaman departed after scoring 84 runs off 42 deliveries.
After the wicket of Fakhar, there was another quick blow to follow. Khawaja Nafay departed in an attempt to keep the scoring rate for just two runs off three deliveries. But Sahibzada Farhan was left undeterred; he continued his onslaught, slamming the Sri Lankan bowlers to all parts of the ground.
He reached his century in the 19th over off 59 deliveries. Farhan (100 off 60) became the only batter to score two centuries in the same edition of a T20 World Cup. His innings powered Pakistan to 212/8, which was necessary given the margin they needed to win by. While the opening partnership was propelling Pakistan towards a 240-plus total, the innings lost momentum towards the end.
Notably, Pakistan now need to defend 147 runs to qualify for the semi-finals.
