Pakistan Clinch Tri-Nation T20I Title with Dominant Final Win

English , Snippets , Sports - کھیل اور کھلاڑی , / Saturday, November 29th, 2025

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Sources PCB

Rawalpindi, 29 November 2025: Pakistan secured the Tri-nation T20I series title with a commanding six-wicket win over Sri Lanka, successfully chasing a 115-run target with eight balls to spare at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.

The victory capped an impressive campaign in which Pakistan won four of their six league matches, lifting their tally of T20I wins in 2025 to 21 — the highest number they have achieved in a single year since their debut in August 2006.

Openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan gave Pakistan a composed start, adding 46 runs for the first wicket. Farhan’s 23 off 22 balls, featuring two fours and a six, allowed Pakistan to settle into the chase before Eshan Malinga provided Sri Lanka’s first breakthrough in the eighth over. Saim followed in the 12th over after scoring a steady 36 from 33 balls, striking six boundaries.

Babar Azam steered Pakistan home with an unbeaten 37 off 34 deliveries, including two fours and a six. Although Pavan Rathnayake briefly revived Sri Lanka’s hopes by dismissing Salman Ali Agha and Fakhar Zaman in the 16th and 18th overs, Pakistan remained firmly in control.

Earlier, Sri Lanka suffered a dramatic collapse after being asked to bat first. From a promising 98-2, they lost their final eight wickets for just 16 runs, folding for 114 in 19.1 overs. Pakistan’s spinners dominated the middle overs, with Mohammad Nawaz (3-17), Abrar Ahmed (2-18) and Saim Ayub (1-17) producing a combined 6-52. Shaheen Shah Afridi, playing his second match of the series, struck early by removing Pathum Nissanka for 11 and ended with impressive figures of 3-18.

Kamil Mishara was the lone Sri Lankan resistance, scoring a fighting 59 with four sixes and two fours. His 64-run partnership with Kusal Mendis provided Sri Lanka with a solid platform before Nawaz initiated the collapse by removing Mendis in the 11th over. Nawaz’s all-round performance earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards, finishing the competition with 10 wickets for 102 runs.

Sri Lanka’s lower order offered little resistance, with no batter from No. 4 to 11 reaching double figures. Babar Azam contributed in the field as well, taking three catches to surpass Fakhar Zaman’s record for the most T20I catches for Pakistan (60).

Pakistan wrapped up the chase in 18.4 overs to seal the title and cap a dominant home campaign.