Pakistan chased 326 to beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the Lahore final on October 31, with Fakhar Zaman’s 127 and a late partnership sealing the win.
Pakistan won the ODI tri-series final against Sri Lanka in Lahore on October 31, chasing a target of 326 to secure a three-wicket victory with nine balls remaining. Fakhar Zaman’s 127 from 99 balls anchored the chase and helped Pakistan end its wait for an ODI tri-series title since 2008.
Sri Lanka had posted 325 for eight after being asked to bat. Kamindu Mendis scored 131 from 128 deliveries for his maiden ODI century, while Pavan Rathnayake contributed 77. Their partnership gave Sri Lanka a strong platform, but Pakistan’s bowlers slowed the scoring in the final overs.
How Pakistan recovered from an early wobble
Pakistan’s chase began badly when Dilshan Madushanka removed Babar Azam for a five-ball duck and struck again in the powerplay. Zaman and Saad Baig then rebuilt the innings with a 149-run partnership. Baig scored 74 from 75 balls, giving the chase stability after the early wickets.
Zaman continued to accelerate after reaching his half-century and later added a brisk stand with Salman Agha. When both fell, Pakistan still needed a substantial contribution from the lower order. Arafat Minhas and Hasan Nawaz combined for a 94-run partnership to take the team over the line.
Why the result matters
The victory gave Pakistan its first ODI tri-series title since the 2008 Kitply Cup final in Bangladesh. It also helped the hosts make amends for losing the final of a home tri-series to New Zealand in 2025. The final showed both sides’ batting depth: Sri Lanka produced a 325 total, while Pakistan completed a high-pressure chase in the final overs.
For Sri Lanka, Kamindu Mendis’ century was a standout positive despite the loss. The team will also review how its death-overs scoring slowed and how Pakistan’s late bowling surge limited the total.
The headline number is Zaman’s 127, but the finishing partnership was equally important. Pakistan needed more than one batter to carry the chase, and the late lower-order stand delivered the title.
