RAWALPINDI — Pakistan delivered a commanding performance at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 11, 2026, defeating Sri Lanka by 82 runs in the second T20I of the series. Powered by explosive half-centuries from Maaz Sadaqat and Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan mounted a formidable total of 215 for 3 before their bowling attack dismantled the visiting batting lineup, restricting Sri Lanka to 133 for 7.
The victory showcased Pakistan’s sheer dominance in the latter half of their innings and the clinical execution of their bowling plan, effectively putting the match out of reach long before the final over was bowled. With this comprehensive win, Pakistan capitalized on a flat Rawalpindi pitch, leaving Sri Lanka searching for answers ahead of the remainder of the series.
Sadaqat Propels Pakistan into the Stratosphere
The foundation had been laid steadily by the openers, with Pakistan moving to 55 for 1 by the end of the seventh over. However, it was Maaz Sadaqat who ignited the innings, injecting an electric surge of energy that transformed a competitive total into a mammoth one.
Sadaqat initially took time to settle, scoring at less than a run a ball across his first eight deliveries. The shift came when he unleashed a spectacular lofted square drive off Eshan Malinga to collect his first maximum. He followed that up by pumping the same bowler down the ground later in the 10th over, signaling the start of a ferocious onslaught.
From that moment onward, Sadaqat dismantled both pace and spin with equal disdain. He finished with an extraordinary 96 off just 51 balls, an innings adorned with seven towering sixes and five boundaries. While his fours predominantly came square of the wicket, his signature sixes flew straight down the ground.
Of the 125 runs Pakistan plundered in the second half of their innings, Sadaqat contributed a staggering 79 runs off just 40 balls. One of the defining moments of his knock arrived in the 16th over, bowled by spinner Maheesh Theekshana, where Sadaqat ruthlessly dispatched three consecutive deliveries over the ropes into the arc between long-on and midwicket.
Sadaqat, whose previous highest score in three T20I appearances stood at 50, stood just one hit away from a maiden international century as the final over commenced. However, unable to generate the necessary elevation on a slower delivery from Malinga, he holed out to deep cover on the very last ball of the innings. Despite missing out on three figures, his masterclass completely dictated the middle and late phases of the match.
Farhan Sets the Tone
Before Sadaqat’s late-innings fireworks, opening batsman Sahibzada Farhan set the tactical tone for the innings on the flat Rawalpindi deck. Farhan paced his innings smartly, waiting for the introduction of spin before shifting into high gear.
Maheesh Theekshana bore the brunt of Farhan’s early aggression. Farhan’s first major breakthrough came via a powerful slog-sweep off Theekshana in the seventh over. He then compounded the spinner’s misery in the ninth over, launching him over wide long-on and cow corner on consecutive deliveries.
Reaching his 12th T20I half-century off just 31 balls, Farhan expanded his stroke play to target the pace bowlers as well. His enterprising knock 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 after contributing a vital 73 runs from 44 balls.
Farhan’s partnership of 73 runs with Sadaqat, followed immediately by a manic 72-run stand between Sadaqat and Hasan Nawaz, ensured that Pakistan reaped a phenomenal 156 runs from the final 12 overs of their innings alone.
Sri Lanka Stumble in the Powerplay
Faced with a daunting target of 216, Sri Lanka’s run chase required a brisk start, but their batting performance unravelled almost immediately.
An exceptional bouncer from fast bowler Salman Mirza grazed the glove of Lahiru Udara in the very first over, dismissing one of Sri Lanka’s most reliable recent batters for just five runs. Although Sineth Jayawardena—making his international debut within a full-strength Sri Lanka side—briefly raised visiting hopes by striking three consecutive boundaries in the third over, the team failed to generate any sustained momentum during the powerplay restrictions.
By the end of the sixth over, Sri Lanka had laboured to a sluggish 35 for 2. The inability to rotate the strike effectively against disciplined pace bowling placed immediate pressure on the middle order, raising the required run rate before the fielding restrictions were even lifted.
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 dismantled Sri Lanka’s hopes of mounting a serious chase. Imran finished with the game’s best figures, claiming 3 wickets for just 11 runs across his full quota of four overs.
Imran struck first by inducing a top-edge from debutant Jayawardena on a desperate pull shot at the conclusion of his second over. Shortly after, he removed Kusal Mendis, who edged a cleverly disguised slower delivery behind the stumps. Just two balls later—following an intervening wide—Imran found the edge of Sahan Arachchige’s bat with a sharp, quick delivery angled tightly across the left-hander.
Wicketkeeper Khawaja Nafay executed two brilliant diving catches to complete the dismissals during a decisive eighth over. Throughout his unbroken spell, Sri Lanka’s batsmen struggled to score freely against Imran, failing to find gaps even under prime batting conditions. By intelligently mixing his pace with exceptional control over his line and length, Imran suffocated the opposition. When he completed his spell at the end of the 10th over, Sri Lanka’s required run rate had already ballooned past 15 runs per over.
Although lower-order contributions from Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Maheesh Theekshana—who remained unbeaten on 32—produced some late boundaries, the damage was already done. Deprived of any realistic chance of leveling the series, Sri Lanka limped to 133 for 7 by the close of the 20th over, confirming a comprehensive 82-run victory for Pakistan.
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