Fakhar's century, Minhas-Nawaz's 94-run stand and Shaheen's last-over six: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 3 wickets

Shaheen Shah Afridi lofted the ball towards long-on. It cleared the boundary and the Pakistan dressing room erupted. Pakistan needed two runs, seven wickets were down, and only three wickets remained in hand. This was no ordinary chase of an ordinary target. The tri-series contest had stretched to the final over, and the team that had looked lost only moments earlier pulled off a win at the death. Pakistan chased down Sri Lanka's 326 with three wickets in hand. The scorecard might suggest a comfortable win, but nothing on the field was comfortable. Two wickets had fallen early, leaving the team at 14 for 2. Babar Azam's bat stayed silent. And when Minhas and Faheem fell in successive deliveries with just two runs needed, the match opened up once again. But what Shaheen did in the final over not only sealed the win but made the match unforgettable. This was not a victory built by one man. Fakhar Zaman's 127, Saad Baig's 74, the 94-run stand between Minhas and Nawaz, and Shaheen's bowling plus his last-over six—all of it combined to carry Pakistan to the finish line. Cricket usually prefers a single-hero narrative, but the truth of this match is that Pakistan won through a collective effort. Sri Lanka, batting first, made a strong start. Pavan scored 77, while Kamindu struck 131—his best ODI score, more than doubling his previous career-best. At 41 overs Sri Lanka were 255 for 2, with a total around 350 looking likely. But in the last nine overs Sri Lanka lost six wickets and were bowled out for 325. That was the turning point of the innings. A team that had lost only two wickets in 41 overs lost six in the final nine. The closing phase of the Sri Lankan innings was completely controlled by the Pakistan bowlers. By then Pavan and Kamindu had both returned to the pavilion. Pavan's 77 had put his team in a strong position, while Kamindu's 131 was ended by Shaheen Shah Afridi—the same bowler who later dismissed Shanaka. Rathnayake's series performance was also notable: 427 runs at an average of 106.75. That average, however, rests on only four dismissals in four innings, so it carries limited statistical weight. Still, the fact that he scored consistently through the series cannot be ignored. Pakistan's innings began badly. Maaz fell for 1, and Babar Azam returned without scoring. At 14 for 2, chasing 326, Pakistan were in crisis. Out of that crisis, Saad Baig and Fakhar Zaman steadied the innings. Saad Baig made 74—his first international half-century, arriving hours before his 20th birthday. At 19, the innings he played was a promising sign for the future of Pakistan cricket. Fakhar Zaman made 127. It was among the most important innings of his career. But there was a curious subplot: he was dropped three times—on 6, on 69, and on 106. At 106, Maheesh Theekshana put him down twice. Those reprieves mean Fakhar's innings was partly a product of fortune. Had Sri Lankan fielders held those catches, the match might have taken a different course. But cricket works that way—when luck favours a batsman, big scores follow. Fakhar made full use of it and put his team in a strong position. The century came seven years after his ODI debut, off 84 balls. It was a significant milestone. Against Sri Lanka it mattered all the more because it came at a time when Pakistan's innings was wobbling after early wickets. After Saad Baig fell, Fakhar held the innings together. But Fakhar too eventually departed, and then Salman returned to the pavilion. At that point it looked as though Pakistan might lose their grip on the chase. That was when Minhas and Nawaz took charge. Together they put on 94 runs, bringing Pakistan close to the target. Their partnership proved to be the most important passage of the match. Yet that stand did not quite seal the game. With two runs needed, Minhas and Faheem fell in successive deliveries, and the match opened up again. The 94-run partnership had made the chase easier, but it had not closed it out. In the end Shaheen had to walk out and finish it with a six. When Pakistan needed two runs with seven wickets down, Shaheen Shah Afridi arrived at the crease. He hit the first ball he faced for six and ended the match. It came from the same player who had already made a vital contribution with the ball. Earlier, Shaheen had dismissed both Kamindu and Shanaka. Kamindu was on 131 at the time, and his wicket was the biggest of the Sri Lankan innings. Shanaka's wicket was also important, since he could have accelerated in the closing overs. Shaheen's bowling stopped Sri Lanka from reaching a bigger total. This report does not provide his economy rate, his overs, or his final figures—but it is clear that he played a key role in the closing phase of the Sri Lankan innings and gave Pakistan a route back into the match. Haris Rauf also took two late wickets. He bowled short and unsettled the Sri Lankan batsmen. The plan worked, and Pakistan kept picking up wickets in the closing overs. Those two wickets were instrumental in restricting Sri Lanka to 325. The match was part of a tri-series that also featured England. Pakistan's win mattered for another reason: four days earlier they had been bowled out for 110. In this match, the same team chased 326. What changed is not explained in this report. But it is clear that Pakistan's batting showed a different attitude this time. The way Fakhar took responsibility and the way Saad Baig supported him gave the team stability. For Sri Lanka, Kamindu's 131 went in vain. Pavan's 77 and Rathnayake's 427 runs across the series could not deliver a win. Having been strong at 41 overs, Sri Lanka lost six wickets in the last nine and let their position slip. Had they not lost those wickets, the target would have been around 350 and Pakistan's chase would have been far harder. The match was another reminder that in cricket nothing is settled until the final over. Pakistan's recovery from 14 for 2 was a sign of their self-belief. But there are loose ends in this win too—they lost two wickets close to the target, and had Sri Lankan fielders held Fakhar's catches, the result might have been different. Fakhar's three reprieves are the biggest 'what-ifs' of the match. The drops on 6, 69 and 106 combined to carry his innings to 127. Had any one of them been taken, Pakistan would not have had the benefit of 127 runs. That is why this match cannot be reduced to 'Fakhar's century' alone. For Sri Lanka, the most frustrating part was that their bowlers and fielders gave Fakhar three lives. Dropping a batsman three times in an international match is a collective failure of bowling and fielding. Had Sri Lanka taken those chances, the outcome might have been different. Another curious feature was that Sri Lanka had lost only two wickets in 41 overs but lost six in the final nine. That shows the Pakistan bowlers built pressure in the closing overs and choked the scoring rate. Shaheen and Haris bowled Sri Lanka out for 325. For Pakistan, the win matters on several counts. They showed they can fight under pressure. After losing two wickets at 14, they refused to give up and fought to the final ball. That is evidence of mental strength. Saad Baig's innings is one of the happiest stories of the match. Scoring 74 at 19, hours before his 20th birthday, is the stuff of films. His innings offered hope for the future of Pakistan cricket. The 94-run stand between Minhas and Nawaz was central to getting Pakistan to the target. They steadied the innings when the team was under pressure. Neither could stay to the end, but their partnership brought the team to the doorstep of victory. And finally, Shaheen's six—from the player who had already contributed throughout the match. First the wickets of Kamindu and Shanaka with the ball, then the six with the bat. Shaheen proved his utility in this match. If this match had to be summed up in one sentence, it would be that this was a collective Pakistan win, with Fakhar's 127, Saad Baig's 74, the Minhas-Nawaz stand of 94 and Shaheen's final six all contributing equally. Giving the entire credit to one player would not do justice to this match. For Sri Lanka, the defeat was disappointing because they had built a strong position at 41 overs. But losing six wickets in the last nine overs and dropping Fakhar three times—those two factors pushed them away from victory. The match proved once again that playing well for 41 overs is not enough in cricket. The last nine overs matter just as much. What Sri Lanka did in the first 41 overs was excellent, but what happened in the last nine changed the course of the entire match. For Pakistan, the win is a confidence booster. Four days after being bowled out for 110, they chased 326 successfully. The improvement suggests the team has worked on its weaknesses. Some questions remain, though. The team lost two wickets close to the target, which is a concern. Had Sri Lanka taken another wicket before Shaheen's six, the result might have been different. Pakistan will need to work on their death-overs batting. Overall, this was a match that had everything—a century, a half-century, a big partnership, a collapse, and last-ball drama. Such matches stay with cricket fans for a long time. In the end, the biggest lesson from this match is that individual performance and collective contribution both matter in cricket. Fakhar's century was important, but without the Minhas-Nawaz stand, Saad Baig's innings and Shaheen's final six, Pakistan might not have won. The credit for this win belongs to the whole team, not to any one player.