Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the ODI tri-series final at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, chasing 326. Fakhar Zaman's 127 off 99 balls anchored the chase, while Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz closed it out. Kamindu Mendis' 131 for Sri Lanka was not enough.
Match Summary: Key Numbers
Sri Lanka made 325 for eight after being put in. Pakistan reached the target of 326 in the penultimate over, with three wickets in hand.
Final Result Snapshot| Team | Score | Required Rate / Run Rate |
|---|
| Sri Lanka | 325/8 (50 overs) | 6.50 runs per over |
| Pakistan | Chased 326 for 7 wickets | 6.52 runs per over required |
The target required a rate of about 6.52 an over across 50 overs. Pakistan finished the chase with the result settled before the last over.
Fakhar Zaman Anchors the Chase
Rebuilding After an Early Wobble
Dilshan Madushanka struck twice in the powerplay. One of the wickets was Babar Azam, dismissed for a five-ball duck.
Zaman and Saad Baig then added 149 runs. Baig made his maiden ODI fifty before Maheesh Theekshana removed him for 74 off 75 balls.
Acceleration and Middle-Order Support
Zaman accelerated after his half-century and finished with 127 off 99 balls, a strike rate of 128.28. He added 57 with Salman Agha, who made 17. Madushanka dismissed Zaman, and Agha fell soon after, leaving Pakistan 230 for five.
Pakistan Key Partnerships| Partners | Runs | Context |
|---|
| Fakhar Zaman & Saad Baig | 149 | Rebuilt the innings after early losses |
| Fakhar Zaman & Salman Agha | 57 | Kept the required rate in check |
| Arafat Minhas & Hasan Nawaz | 94 | Secured the chase from 230/5 |
Minhas and Nawaz Close It Out
With 96 runs still needed at 230 for five, the chase relied on two young batters. Arafat Minhas, 21, and Hasan Nawaz, 24, added 94 together.
Minhas and Faheem Ashraf fell with two runs still required. Shaheen Shah Afridi then hit a six over the ropes to finish the match.
Sri Lanka's Innings: Kamindu Mendis Leads
Powerplay and Middle Overs
Avishka Fernando and Kamindu Mendis added 51 in the powerplay. Fernando fell in the 18th over, and captain Kusal Mendis was then dismissed by Agha, leaving Sri Lanka 109 for two.
Kamindu and Pavan Rathnayake added 146 runs off 119 deliveries. That works out to a partnership run rate of about 7.36 an over.
Sri Lanka Key Batting Performances| Batter | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate |
|---|
| Kamindu Mendis | 131 | 128 | 102.34 |
| Pavan Rathnayake | 77 | - | - |
| Sahan Arachchige | 15 | 12 | 125.00 |
Kamindu hit 12 fours and two sixes in his 131. His innings was the highest individual score of the Sri Lanka innings.
Death-Overs Fightback by Pakistan
Pakistan limited the total in the closing stages. Afridi and Haris Rauf removed Dasun Shanaka and Rathnayake within two overs.
Arachchige hit 15 off 12 balls before Naseem Shah dismissed him. Afridi finished with two wickets for 50 runs, which kept Sri Lanka below the 340 mark.
Historical Context and Analysis
The win gave Pakistan its first ODI tri-series title since 2008, when they beat India in the Kitply Cup final in Bangladesh. It also made up for the loss to New Zealand in the final of a home tri-series in 2025.
Pakistan Tri-Series Finals Referenced| Year | Opponent | Outcome |
|---|
| 2008 | India (Kitply Cup) | Won |
| 2025 | New Zealand (home tri-series) | Lost |
| Latest | Sri Lanka (Lahore) | Won by three wickets |
The final showed how the chase was built. A century opener provided the base, and two younger batters supplied the finish. Sri Lanka's 131 from Kamindu and 77 from Rathnayake were not enough against a chase paced at roughly 6.5 an over.