Sri Lanka ended the three-match T20I series on a high at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night, beating Pakistan by eight wickets in the final game to deny the hosts a whitewash. Chasing 169, the visitors cruised home at 172 for 2 in 17.1 overs, with captain Kusal Mendis playing a match-defining unbeaten knock of 87 off 48 balls. Pakistan had earlier posted 168 for 8, built around captain Sahibzada Farhan’s 76 off 47 balls, but it was never going to be enough. Pakistan still won the series 2-1. This is the match preview we published before the game.
Brief scores: Pakistan 168/8 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 76 off 47, Arafat Minhas 34* off 20; Dasun Shanaka 3/21, Nuwan Thushara 2/38, Eshan Malinga 2/38) lost to Sri Lanka 172/2 in 17.1 overs (Kusal Mendis 87* off 48, Kamindu Mendis 40* off 27, Sineth Jayawardena 38 off 26; Arafat Minhas 1/26, Mohammad Imran Randhawa 1/31) by 8 wickets (17 balls remaining).
Mendis masterclass powers the chase
Sri Lanka’s chase never looked in trouble. After Mohammad Imran Randhawa trapped Lahiru Udara lbw in the second over, Sineth Jayawardena joined captain Kusal Mendis and the pair steadied the innings — Jayawardena striking five fours and two sixes in a brisk 38 off 26 balls before holing out with the score on 74 for 2 in the eighth over.
What followed was a batting clinic. Mendis and Kamindu Mendis put on an unbroken 98-run stand off just 55 balls, tearing into Pakistan’s attack at more than ten runs an over. The captain was severe on anything short, pulling powerfully and driving elegantly through the covers on his way to 87 not out off 48 balls, with nine fours and four sixes. Kamindu played the perfect supporting role with an unbeaten 40 off 27 balls as Sri Lanka wrapped up the win with 17 deliveries to spare — finishing at 172 for 2 at a run rate of 10.06.
Farhan’s lone hand lifts Pakistan
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to field first, and the decision looked inspired when Dasun Shanaka ripped through Pakistan’s middle order. Pakistan slumped to 102 for 6 in the 14th over, with Shanaka claiming three for 21 and Eshan Malinga two for 38. Fakhar Zaman (12 off 7) and Maaz Sadaqat (duck) fell inside the first four overs, and none of Hasan Nawaz (16), Khawaja Nafay (3), Mohammad Imran Randhawa (6) or Abdul Samad (15) could stay with their captain for long.
Sahibzada Farhan held the innings together almost single-handedly, following up his 89 on captaincy debut in the first T20I with a classy 76 off 47 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes. He found a late ally in Arafat Minhas, whose unbeaten 34 off 20 balls (two fours, two sixes) dragged Pakistan to a competitive 168 for 8. Farhan fell to Nuwan Thushara in the final over, while Thushara also removed Razaullah first ball to finish with two for 38.
Key performers
Kusal Mendis (87* off 48): The standout of the night — a captain’s innings of the highest order. Nine fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 181.25, and not a hint of panic at any stage of the chase. (Official Player of the Match confirmation was not available at the time of publishing; Mendis was rated the most valuable player of the match by ESPNcricinfo.)
Dasun Shanaka (4-0-21-3): The destroyer-in-chief of Pakistan’s middle order. His three-wicket burst left Pakistan at 102 for 6 and would have won the game on most nights.
Sahibzada Farhan (76 off 47): Another fine innings from Pakistan’s new captain — he followed his 89 on captaincy debut in the first T20I with this 76 — but he needed support that never came.
Arafat Minhas (34* off 20 & 3-0-26-1): A genuine all-round contribution — the late-order hitting that gave Pakistan something to defend, plus the wicket of the dangerous Jayawardena.
Kamindu Mendis (40* off 27): The quiet finisher in the record stand, rotating the strike beautifully while his captain attacked.
Records and notes
Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten 87 came in his 112th T20I and was the highest individual score of the final. The 98-run unbroken third-wicket stand between Kusal and Kamindu Mendis came at 10.69 runs per over — the fastest partnership of the series. Dasun Shanaka’s 3 for 21 was the best bowling spell of the match, while Sri Lanka’s 172 for 2 is the highest successful chase of the series. Pakistan’s head-to-head lead in T20Is now stands at 18 wins to Sri Lanka’s 14 in 32 meetings.
What the result means
Pakistan take the series 2-1 — a winning start to the Sahibzada Farhan captaincy era, with the 82-run demolition in the second T20I the highlight — but this defeat will sting. The whitewash was there for the taking, and the bowling attack that looked so sharp in the first two games was taken apart under lights. For Sri Lanka, it is a consolation win that carries real weight: they were outplayed twice, but showed fight when the pressure was off, with their captain leading the way. They head into their next assignment with something to build on.
FAQs
Who won the PAK vs SL 3rd T20I on October 13, 2026?
Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets — chasing Pakistan’s 168/8, they finished on 172/2 in 17.1 overs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Who won the PAK vs SL T20I series?
Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1, beating Sri Lanka by 4 wickets in the 1st T20I and 82 runs in the 2nd T20I before losing the finale.
Who was the standout performer of the 3rd T20I?
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis, with an unbeaten 87 off 48 balls (9 fours, 4 sixes) in the chase. (Official Player of the Match confirmation was not available at the time of publishing.)
What was Sahibzada Farhan’s score in the 3rd T20I?
Pakistan’s captain top-scored for his side with 76 off 47 balls, following his 89 on captaincy debut in the 1st T20I.
Where was the PAK vs SL 3rd T20I played?
At the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, on October 13, 2026 — a night game starting at 6:00 PM PKT.
Where can I see the full scorecard?
The complete ball-by-ball scorecard is available on ESPNcricinfo’s match page.
Conclusion
Sri Lanka saved their best for last in Rawalpindi. Kusal Mendis’ superb unbeaten 87 and an unbroken 98-run stand with Kamindu Mendis made a tricky chase look easy, earning the visitors a deserved consolation win. For Pakistan, the series is won 2-1 and the new captain’s batting form is a huge positive — but the whitewash slipped away on a night when the bowlers had no answers. Both teams now turn their attention to what comes next, with Pakistan the happier camp overall.
Full Scorecard
Pakistan innings — 168/8 (20 overs)
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan (c) | c Dasun Shanaka b Nuwan Thushara | 76 | 47 | 7 | 3 | 161.70 |
| Fakhar Zaman | c Lahiru Udara b Eshan Malinga | 12 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 171.43 |
| Maaz Sadaqat | c Chamindu Wickramasinghe b Eshan Malinga | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Hasan Nawaz | c Kamindu Mendis b Vijayakanth Viyaskanth | 16 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 94.12 |
| Khawaja Nafay (wk) | c Sahan Arachchige b Dasun Shanaka | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
| Mohammad Imran Randhawa | c Chamindu Wickramasinghe b Dasun Shanaka | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
| Abdul Samad | c Lahiru Udara b Dasun Shanaka | 15 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Arafat Minhas | not out | 34 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 170.00 |
| Razaullah | b Nuwan Thushara | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Did not bat: Salman Mirza, Sufyan Moqim
Extras: 6 (b 1, lb 2, w 3)
Fall of wickets: 34-1 (Fakhar Zaman, 3.1 ov), 34-2 (Maaz Sadaqat, 3.4 ov), 67-3 (Hasan Nawaz, 8.2 ov), 72-4 (Khawaja Nafay, 9.3 ov), 86-5 (Mohammad Imran Randhawa, 11.5 ov), 102-6 (Abdul Samad, 13.4 ov), 168-7 (Sahibzada Farhan, 19.5 ov), 168-8 (Razaullah, 20.0 ov)
Sri Lanka bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binura Fernando | 4 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 11.25 |
| Nuwan Thushara | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
| Eshan Malinga | 4 | 1 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
| Vijayakanth Viyaskanth | 4 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 5.75 |
| Dasun Shanaka | 4 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 5.25 |
Sri Lanka innings — 172/2 (17.1 overs)
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahiru Udara | lbw b Mohammad Imran Randhawa | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Sineth Jayawardena | c Razaullah b Arafat Minhas | 38 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 146.15 |
| Kusal Mendis (c, wk) | not out | 87 | 48 | 9 | 4 | 181.25 |
| Kamindu Mendis | not out | 40 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 148.15 |
Did not bat: Sahan Arachchige, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Binura Fernando, Eshan Malinga, Nuwan Thushara
Extras: 6
Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Lahiru Udara, 1.1 ov), 74-2 (Sineth Jayawardena, 7.6 ov)
Pakistan bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salman Mirza | 3 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 13.33 |
| Mohammad Imran Randhawa | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 |
| Razaullah | 3.1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 11.68 |
| Sufyan Moqim | 4 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 8.75 |
| Arafat Minhas | 3 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 8.67 |
Match details: Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field. Series result: Pakistan won the 3-match series 2-1. Player of the Match: officially unconfirmed at the time of publishing — Kusal Mendis (87* off 48) was the standout performer.
