RAWALPINDI: The packed-to-capacity crowd here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium roared with applause as Babar Azam played an exquisite cut shot for a boundary through point to steer Pakistan to a well-deserved six-wicket victory in the T20 tri-nation series final on Saturday night.

The fans at the venue expected a close showdown but it didn’t come thanks to a magnificent show by Pakistan bowlers who enabled the hosts to make a fine comeback after the Sri Lankan batters took control in the first part of their innings.

Pakistan showed that they are better side in all departments as they chased down a modest 115-run target in 18.4 overs thanks to opener Saim Ayub who played an impressive 36-run knock. Zimbabwe were the third team of the tri-series.

Saim along with Sahibzada Farhan launched the chase cautiously as Sri Lanka looked to defend a below-par total under lights.

Pakistan reached 32-0 in powerplay as the openers gradually moved towards the target.

Sri Lanka got the first breakthrough in the eighth over — with Pakistan at 46-0 — when a delivery from paceman Eshan Malinga seamed in to hit the off-stump of Sahibzada who failed to judge the pace. The right-hander made 23 off 22 balls with two fours, and a six which the right-hander hit against leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.

Left-handed Saim at the other end proved more productive than his opening partner, hitting pacer Maheesh Theekshana for three fours in the third over.

As Babar came in to bat, Pakistan completed their 50 off 7.5 overs. Babar pulled Hasaranga for a six in the 10th over as the hosts touched 71-1 at halfway stage.

It became 75-2 when Saim, having hit six fours, was trapped by Hasaranga in the 12th over as the ball started keeping a bit low.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha (14 off 14) smashed a couple of fours before casually giving a catch to his Sri Lankan counterpart Dasun Shanaka at extra cover off young spinner Pavan Rathnayake, leaving Pakistan at 98-3 in the 16th over.

Fakhar Zaman (three) did not last long tried to play a lofted shot over midwicket in the 18th over off Rathnayake but the ball turned resulting in a top edge giving Shanaka a catch at extra cover.

Pakistan were now 104-4 but were in control. Babar was joined by wicket-keeper/batter Usman Khan (three not out) as the duo completed the formality.

Earlier after being put into bat, Sri Lankan batting crumbled after the tourists dominated the game in the first half of their innings.

Opener Kamil Mishara top-scored with 59 as the tourists started their innings in an aggressive manner.

Though Sri Lanka lost opener Pathum Nissanka — bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi with a slower ball — in the third over, Mishara prolonged his stay in the middle to keep his team in the game.

After Sri Lanka raced to 50 in 5.3 overs, Mishara completed his half-century off 37 balls as they ended the powerplay at a solid 56-1.

Mishara and number three batter Kusal Mendis (14 off 18 balls) added 64 off 47 balls for the second wicket.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Mohammad Nawaz — who was named player-of-the-match — finally gave Pakistan a much-needed breakthrough in the 11th over when Mendis was caught brilliantly by Babar at long-off just inside the boundary. That made Sri Lanka 84-2.

From then onwards, Sri Lanka — who touched the 100-run mark in 13.3 overs — kept losing wickets as Pakistan spinners made sure the hosts come back strongly in the all-important decider.

Sri Lanka suffered a massive setback in the 14th over when off-spinner Saim sent Mishara back to the pavilion as Babar — running in from long-off and lunging forward — took a magnificent catch. Left-handed Mishara struck two fours and four sixes during his 47-ball knock. Sri Lanka were now 98-3.

Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed gave Pakistan double breakthrough in the 15th over.

First he deceived veteran Kusal Perera (one) who while attempting a big shot put the ball straight up only to be caught by Usman at short leg, and then got the better of Rathnayake (eight off 11) who while trying to clear long-off only succeeded in getting caught by Babar.

At 104-5 in 15 overs, Sri Lanka were now sliding. Nawaz in the next over put the opponents in more trouble when he cleaned up Janith Liyanage (nought) whose inside edge hit the stumps. In the 18th over, Hasaranga (five) attempted to play a slog sweep against Nawaz but got the off stump uprooted. It was now 111-7 in the 18th over and Pakistan were ruling the roost.

Shaheen struck Sri Lanka twice in the next over. He first bowled Shanaka (two) with a slower length ball. Shanaka on the previous delivery had been caught by Fakhar but it was disallowed by the third umpire as it seemed the ball had brushed the ground. The left-arm pacer then dismissed number 10 batter Theekshana (one) who was caught by Usman down the leg-side.

Pacer Salman Mirza folded the innings in the final over by cleaning up Dushmantha Chameera.

Nawaz claimed three wickets for 17 runs, Shaheen three for 18 off three overs, Abrar 2-18 while Saim had figures of 1-17.

Nawaz, who claimed 10 wickets in five games of the tri-series, also earned the player-of-the-series honours.

Speaking to reporters after the final, Shanaka said that current Pakistan spinners could pose a serious threat to opponents in the forthcoming T20 World Cup being held in Sri Lanka and India.

“Nawaz, Saim, Abrar and Usman Tariq can be very handy in the [T20] World Cup on Sri Lankan wickets,” Shanaka noted.

While acknowledging the dismal performance of his team on the Pakistan tour, the skipper said that there were some positives too.

“We will work on our mistakes, we will have to work on our mistakes of poor shot selection. However, I want to take the positives too from here,” he said.

While thanking the fans for their support for the game during the tour comprising a three-match ODI series besides the tri-series, Shanaka on the occasion appreciated the government of Pakistan and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for making best arrangements for the tour.

Meanwhile, Shanaka on extreme weather condition back home in Sri Lanka said: “Our prayers and best wishes are with our people.”

Salman Ali Agha termed Pakistan’s performance great.

“It was a great performance from us,” said Salman. “This has been a very good two months for us, we won against South Africa and now against Sri Lanka.”

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA:

P. Nissanka b Shaheen1

K. Mishara c Babar b Saim59

K. Mendis c Babar b Nawaz14

P. Rathnayake c Babar b Abrar8

K. Perera c Usman b Abrar1

D. Shanaka b Shaheen2

J. Liyanage b Nawaz0

W. Hasaranga b Nawaz5

D. Chameera b Salman Mirza0

M. Theekshana c Usman b Shaheen1

E. Malinga not out0

EXTRAS (LB-8, W-5)13

TOTAL (all out, 19.1 overs)114

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-20 (Nissanka), 2-84 (Mendis), 3-98 (Mishara), 4-103 (Perera), 5-104 (Rathnayake), 6-105 (Liyanage), 7-111 (Hasaranga), 8-111 (Shanaka), 9-113 (Theekshana)

BOWLING: Shaheen 3-0-18-3 (3w), Salman Mirza 3.1-0-25-1, Faheem 1-0-11-0, Abrar 4-0-18-2 (1w), Saim 4-0-17-1 (1w), Nawaz 4-0-17-3

PAKISTAN:

Sahibzada Farhan b Malinga23

Saim Ayub lbw b Hasaranga36

Babar Azam not out37

Salman Agha c Shanaka b R’nayake14

Fakhar Zaman c Shanaka b R’nayake3

Usman Khan not out3

EXTRAS (W-2)2

TOTAL (for four wkts, 18.4 overs)118

DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-46 (Sahibzada), 2-75 (Saim), 3-98 (Salman Agha), 4-104 (Fakhar)

BOWLING: Theekshana 4-0-22-0, Chameera 3.4-0-21-0, Shanaka 1-0-7-0, Malinga 3-0-16-1 (2w), Hasaranga 4-0-31-1, Mishara 1-0-10-0, Rathnayake 2-0-11-2

RESULT: Pakistan won by six wickets.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Mohammad Nawaz

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Mohammad Nawaz

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2025