Pakistan won the ODI tri-series final in Lahore after chasing 326 to defeat Sri Lanka by three wickets in a high-scoring contest that remained uncertain until the closing overs. Fakhar Zaman led the pursuit with 127, while Saad Baig contributed 74 and Arafat Minhas struck a rapid 61. Pakistan reached 331 with nine balls remaining, completing one of the largest successful chases in an ODI final and ending a long wait for the tournament title.
A fourth-innings collapse at Newlands
Sri Lanka’s innings was anchored by Kamindu Mendis, who scored his maiden ODI century with 131 from 128 deliveries. Pavan Rathnayake added 77, and their third-wicket partnership of 146 gave the visitors control through the middle overs. At 238 for two after forty overs, Sri Lanka appeared capable of pushing beyond 350. Pakistan’s bowlers responded in the closing phase, taking wickets and limiting the late acceleration that often decides a total of this size.
The late recovery was led by the pace attack and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi. Afridi removed Mendis and Dasun Shanaka in quick succession, while Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah helped prevent the lower order from adding a final surge. Sri Lanka finished on 325 for eight, a score that demanded sustained composure from Pakistan’s batters and left little room for an early collapse.
Rabada reaches a major milestone
Pakistan’s reply began poorly. Maaz Sadaqat and Babar Azam fell early, leaving the home side under pressure before the innings had settled. Zaman and Baig rebuilt through a 149-run stand, combining controlled rotation with boundary hitting. Baig’s 74 provided stability, while Zaman accelerated as the target came into focus. His century turned the chase from a survival exercise into a realistic contest, although his dismissal still left Pakistan needing a substantial contribution from the lower order.
The final phase tested Pakistan’s depth. After further wickets, the required rate remained demanding, and Sri Lanka briefly regained momentum by removing established batters. Minhas and Hasan Nawaz then formed a decisive partnership, adding 94 runs. Minhas attacked the boundary with a 31-ball 61, while Nawaz held his shape and kept the chase moving. Their stand changed the pressure from Pakistan’s side to Sri Lanka’s bowlers.
The series result and wider implications
The finish was dramatic because Pakistan lost two wickets when victory was close. Minhas was dismissed with the target nearly reached, and Faheem Ashraf fell soon after. Shaheen Afridi then sealed the result with a six, ending the contest with Pakistan three wickets down from the finish line. The successful chase matched the joint-highest total pursued in an ODI final, giving the final a place in the tournament’s history.
For Sri Lanka, Mendis’s century and Rathnayake’s supporting innings demonstrated the strength of their top order, but the final overs of both innings proved costly. Pakistan’s bowlers conceded a large total, then their batting group recovered from early losses and finished with courage. The result also gave Pakistan a title after a period without winning this tri-series, rewarding a performance that required contributions from both senior players and younger members of the lineup.
The final’s central lesson was the value of partnership under pressure. Zaman’s innings established the chase, Baig kept the team connected to the target, and Minhas and Nawaz converted a difficult equation into a winning one. Sri Lanka had enough runs to defend and a strong platform to build on, but Pakistan’s late composure decided the trophy. The three-wicket win in Lahore will be remembered for its scale, its twists and the six that ended it.
The victory also provides Pakistan with a confidence-building result ahead of the next phase of its international calendar. A chase of this size requires more than one standout innings: the middle order must keep the asking rate within reach, the lower order must resist panic, and the team must respond after setbacks. Pakistan did that in stages. Sri Lanka will take positives from Mendis and Rathnayake, but the missed opportunities in the final overs will remain central to its review of the match.
The title was secured through a sequence of recoveries rather than a smooth chase. Pakistan absorbed the early loss of wickets, rebuilt with a substantial middle-order partnership and then trusted its lower order to finish under pressure. Sri Lanka had several chances to close the game, but the final partnership and Afridi’s winning six settled it. The result gives Pakistan the trophy and gives both teams a clear set of lessons from a final decided by execution in the last few overs.
PUBLISHED BY SUYASH PACHAURI, FOUNDER & OWNER, GLOBAL BOLLYWOOD | THE HOLLYWOOD SCOPE.