Feb 28 (V7N) – Pakistan's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup were dashed despite a thrilling five-run victory over Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight match. The win, while dramatic, proved to be insufficient as Pakistan was officially knocked out of the tournament, with New Zealand securing a semi-final spot from Group 2.

Match Recap: Sri Lanka, already eliminated from the semi-final race, entered the game with nothing to lose. Pakistan, however, had a mathematical lifeline: they needed to win by at least 64 runs to surpass New Zealand's superior Net Run Rate. In an attempt to go big, Pakistan made bold decisions by leaving out key players like Babar Azam and Saim Ayub.

Record-Setting Batting: Pakistan's decision paid off spectacularly. A blistering century by Sahibzada Farhan, who scored 100 off 60 balls, and a massive 176-run opening stand with Fakhar Zaman, helped Pakistan set a daunting target of 213 for 8. Farhan's century was the highlight of the innings, breaking records and breathing life into Pakistan’s semi-final hopes.

Sri Lanka's Counter-Attack: Despite Pakistan's powerful total, the game swung back in Sri Lanka's favor in the middle overs. Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah made early breakthroughs, but Sri Lanka's batters, Pavan Rathnayake (58) and Dasun Shanaka, turned the game on its head. Their strong counter-attack surpassed the required 148 runs, officially ending Pakistan's World Cup dreams.

Nail-Biting Final Over: Sri Lanka, still needing to chase down 213, gave Pakistan a final scare. With 28 runs required off the last over, Sri Lanka's Shanaka smashed three consecutive sixes off Shaheen Shah Afridi, bringing the equation down to just 6 runs from 2 balls. However, Afridi held his nerve, delivering two crucial dot balls and leaving Sri Lanka stranded at 207 for 6.

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