Pakistan delivered a scintillating display of power-hitting and disciplined bowling in Rawalpindi on October 11, 2026, securing a commanding 82-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second T20I of the series. Powered by blistering half-centuries from Maaz Sadaqat and Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan posted a formidable total of 215 for 3 after completely taking control of the latter half of their innings. In response, Sri Lanka’s batting lineup faltered under intense pressure from the outset, eventually limping to 133 for 7 as the home side’s seamers dismantled any hopes of a competitive chase.
The foundation of Pakistan’s imposing total was built during a destructive phase of the match where the batting side plundered 156 runs in just the final 12 overs. Sadaqat led the charge with a magnificent, unbeaten-style masterclass before falling on the final ball of the innings, hammering 96 runs off just 51 deliveries. His explosive knock was well-supported by Farhan, who contributed a brisk 73 off 44 balls. Together, the pair orchestrated a crucial 73-run partnership that set the platform before Sadaqat combined with Hasan Nawaz for another manic 72-run stand that propelled Pakistan firmly into the stratosphere.
Sri Lanka’s chase never truly gathered momentum on a flat Rawalpindi deck that had previously promised plenty of runs. Slumping to a dismal 64 for 5 by the 11th over, the visitors struggled to find any meaningful partnerships, with none of their top seven batters managing to cross the 30-run mark. The chase was effectively derailed by a brilliant exhibition of fast bowling from Mohammad Imran and Salman Mirza, who combined for five wickets and choked the run-scoring options throughout the middle overs to seal a comprehensive victory for Pakistan.
Sadaqat Propels Pakistan into the Stratosphere
Having seen their openers lay a measured platform that brought Pakistan to 55 for 1 by the end of the seventh over, the innings required an injection of momentum. Maaz Sadaqat provided precisely that, turning a steady total into an intimidating target with a display of clean striking that left the Sri Lankan bowlers searching for answers.
Initially, Sadaqat took time to get his eye in, scoring at less than a run a ball across his first eight deliveries. However, the shift in gear was sudden and spectacular. He unleashed a lofted square drive off Eshan Malinga to pick up his first maximum, before following it up by pumping the same bowler straight down the ground later in the 10th over.
That acceleration opened the floodgates. Sadaqat went on to accumulate a total of seven sixes and five fours. While his boundaries behind the wicket largely came square of the wicket, his maximums predominantly sailed down the ground. Of the 125 runs Pakistan plundered during the second half of their innings, Sadaqat was responsible for 79 of them, compiled off just 40 balls as he treated pace and spin with equal disdain. One of the defining moments of his innings arrived in the sixteenth over, bowled by Maheesh Theekshana, where Sadaqat ruthlessly dispatched three successive deliveries for sixes into the arc between long-on and midwicket.
Sadaqat, whose previous highest score in three T20I appearances stood at 50, came agonizingly close to reaching three figures. Needing a boundary off the final ball of the innings to secure a century, he attempted to lift a slower delivery from Malinga over the ropes, but could not generate enough elevation, holing out to deep cover instead. Despite missing out on a maiden international hundred, his innings had completely dictated the tempo of the middle and late overs, breaking the back of the Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Farhan Sets the Tone
Before Sadaqat seized control of the crease, it was Sahibzada Farhan who established the aggressive intent for Pakistan on the favorable Rawalpindi surface. Farhan initially played a measured game, waiting for the introduction of spin before shifting into high gear and making the Sri Lankan bowlers pay dearly for any error in length.
Maheesh Theekshana bore the brunt of Farhan’s early aggression. The opener’s first six came via a cleanly executed slog sweep against Theekshana in the seventh over. He quickly followed that up by launching the spinner over wide long-on and cow corner on consecutive deliveries during the ninth over.
Moving smoothly to his 12th T20I half-century off just 31 balls, Farhan expanded his repertoire to target the seamers with equal authority. His enterprising knock of 73 from 44 balls eventually came to an end in the 15th over when he miscued a shot, resulting in a catch at deep third off the bowling of Dasun Shanaka. His opening salvo ensured that Pakistan maintained a healthy scoring rate right from the powerplay onward.
Sri Lanka Stumble in the Powerplay
Facing a daunting target, Sri Lanka needed a strong start from their top order, but their innings began on a disastrous note during the very first over. An exceptional bouncer from Salman Mirza found the glove of Lahiru Udara, ending the night prematurely for one of Sri Lanka’s most reliable recent form batters after he had contributed a mere five runs.
Although Sineth Jayawardena, stepping into his first international appearance within a full-strength Sri Lanka side, briefly offered some resistance by striking three consecutive boundaries in the third over, the team failed to build any sustained momentum during the powerplay restrictions. By the completion of the sixth over, Sri Lanka had laboured to a sluggish 35 for 2, already falling well behind the required pace of the game.
Imran’s Spell Lights Up the Middle Overs
A capacity crowd in Rawalpindi was treated to a masterclass in fast bowling by Mohammad Imran, whose stellar spell proved to be the decisive factor in the contest. Imran finished with the best figures of the match, claiming 3 for 11 from his full allotment of four overs without conceding any significant leeway.
Imran struck first by inducing a top-edge from Jayawardena as the batsman attempted a desperate pull shot on the final delivery of his second over. He then returned to remove Kusal Mendis, who was caught behind attempting to play a slower delivery. Just two balls later—following an intervening wide—Imran produced a sharp, angled delivery that caught the edge of Sahan Arachchige’s bat. Wicketkeeper Khawaja Nafay completed two brilliant diving catches behind the stumps to account for the dismissals during a decisive eighth over.
Throughout his unbroken spell, Sri Lanka’s batsmen found it virtually impossible to score freely against Imran, even with conditions remaining generally favorable for batting. By cleverly mixing his pace, deploying well-disguised slower balls, and maintaining immaculate control over his line and length, Imran kept the opposition completely tied down. When he concluded his spell at the end of the 10th over, Sri Lanka’s required run rate had skyrocketed past 15 runs per over.
Late contributions and boundaries from Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Maheesh Theekshana added some respectability to the scoreboard, but by the time they arrived at the crease, the outcome was already a foregone conclusion. Deprived of any realistic path back into the contest or toward leveling the series, Sri Lanka ultimately fell short by 82 runs as the match concluded with the visitors restricted to 133 for 7.
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