What happened
According to Dawn, Pakistan won the tri-nation series title after defeating Sri Lanka by three wickets in a high-scoring final at Gaddafi Stadium. After winning the toss and choosing to field, Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to 325 for eight. Pakistan then chased down the target, finishing on 327 for seven in 48.3 overs with nine balls to spare. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi secured the victory by hitting a six in the 49th over. The run chase stands as the joint-highest successful chase in an ODI final.
Key facts
- Sri Lanka's total was built around Kamindu Mendis, who scored 131 runs, and Pavan Rathnayake, who contributed 77 in a 146-run third-wicket partnership.
- Sri Lanka reached 238 for two after 40 overs, but Pakistan's bowlers fought back as Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 70 runs in the final ten overs.
- Pakistan made one change to their team, replacing Shadab Khan—who was sidelined on medical grounds after taking a bouncer in the fifth ODI—with Faheem Ashraf, while Sri Lanka brought in Mahesh Theekshana for Eshan Malinga.
- Pakistan stumbled early in their reply to 22 for two, losing Maaz Sadaqat for five and Babar Azam for a duck.
- Fakhar Zaman scored 127 off 99 balls, combining with Saad Baig (74) for a 149-run partnership to rebuild the innings despite suffering an injury while fielding earlier in the day.
- All-rounder Arafat Minhas hit 61 off 31 deliveries late in the match to pull Pakistan within striking distance of the target.
Why it matters
According to Dawn, this triumph is Pakistan's first ODI tri-series title since beating India in the Kitply Cup final in Dhaka. The result offered a bounce-back for Pakistan's batting order, which had been dismissed for just 110 runs by Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament's league stage.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 31, 2026 · Photo by Haidan on Unsplash
