Kusal Mendis Steals the Rawalpindi Finale, but Pakistan Take the T20I Series 2-1

238 Runs, Three Fifties: Farhan Wins Player of the Series as Sri Lanka Avoid a Clean Sweep

Who won the 3rd T20I?

Sri Lanka, by 8 wickets with 17 balls to spare. They chased 169 to finish on 172 for 2. Pakistan still win the series 2-1.

Who was Player of the Match?

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis, with 87 not out off 48 balls.

Who was Player of the Series?

Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan, who scored 238 runs and made a fifty in all three games.

What is next?

The ODI tri-series with England starts on Sunday, October 18, when Pakistan play Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. After that come two Tests in November.

Match Report: Sri Lanka Avoid the Clean Sweep

Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl, and Pakistan made four changes with the series already won. Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Razaullah and Sufyan Moqim came in. Sri Lanka brought in wrist-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth for Maheesh Theekshana.

For readers new to cricket: in a T20 International (T20I), each team bats for up to 20 overs (an over is six legal deliveries). A team wins by wickets when it chases down the target with batters still to come in. Winning by 8 wickets means Sri Lanka lost only two of their ten wickets.

Pakistan's Innings: Farhan Holds It Together

Pakistan started well, but Eshan Malinga struck twice in the fourth over. He removed Fakhar Zaman (12) and then Maaz Sadaqat for a three-ball duck, leaving Pakistan 34 for 2.

After that, wickets fell regularly. Dasun Shanaka was the star with the ball, taking 3 for 21 in four overs, and Pakistan slipped to 102 for 6 in the 14th over.

Captain Sahibzada Farhan stood firm with 76 off 47 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes), his third fifty of the series. He and Arafat Minhas (34 not out off 20) added 66 off 37 balls for the seventh wicket to lift Pakistan to 168 for 8.

Sri Lanka's Chase: Kusal Takes Charge

Sri Lanka lost Lahiru Udara for one in the second over, out lbw to Mohammad Imran Randhawa. But Sineth Jayawardena (38 off 26) and Kusal Mendis added 59 off 41 balls. Sri Lanka scored 59 in the powerplay (the first six overs), their best of the series.

Jayawardena fell to Arafat Minhas at 74 for 2. From there, the two Mendises took over. Kusal reached his fifty in 33 balls and finished on 87 not out off 48 (9 fours, 4 sixes). Kamindu Mendis made 40 not out off 27, and their unbroken stand of 98 off 55 balls finished the game in the 18th over.

Turning Point: Pakistan's Turn to Drop Catches

In the 2nd T20I, Sri Lanka's dropped catches cost them the match. This time Pakistan were the ones who missed their chances.

In the 15th over, Sufyan Moqim could not hold a return catch from Kusal Mendis. Later, Abdul Samad lost his balance on the boundary trying to catch a Kusal hit over long-off, and it went for six.

By then Sri Lanka were already well ahead of the rate, so the misses did not change the result. But they let Kusal finish the series with his best innings.

Series Review: Pakistan Win 2-1

Sahibzada Farhan's first series as full-time captain went well. He scored 89, 73 and 76, and his big second-wicket stands with Maaz Sadaqat set up both Pakistan wins. Debutant left-arm seamer Mohammad Imran Randhawa took a wicket in every match.

For Sri Lanka, the batting only clicked in the final game. Their big positive was Lahiru Udara's 91 in the first match and Kusal's 87 to finish.

Stat Corner

3rd T20I: Top Performers

Series Leaders

What Comes Next: ODI Tri-Series With England

Both teams stay in Pakistan for a 50-over tri-series with England. Each team plays the other two twice, and the top two meet in the final in Lahore on October 31. Shaheen Shah Afridi returns as Pakistan's ODI captain, Kusal Mendis leads Sri Lanka, and Harry Brook captains England.

Then the Tests

Sri Lanka's tour finishes with two Tests, which count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27. A Test match is the longest format, played over up to five days, with each team batting twice.

Local time is Pakistan Standard Time (PKT, UTC+5). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30), which is also the time in Sri Lanka. ET is US Eastern Time. The ODIs fall before US clocks go back on November 1, so they start at 4:00 AM ET. Test days start at 11:30 PM ET on the evening before.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20I series 2026?

Pakistan, 2-1. They won the first two matches, and Sri Lanka won the third by 8 wickets.

Who was Player of the Match in the 3rd T20I?

Kusal Mendis, for his unbeaten 87 off 48 balls.

Who was Player of the Series?

Sahibzada Farhan, with 238 runs and three fifties.

When does the ODI tri-series start?

Sunday, October 18, 2026, with Pakistan vs Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi at 1:00 PM PKT (1:30 PM IST, 4:00 AM ET). The final is in Lahore on October 31.

When is the first Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test?

Monday, November 9, 2026, in Rawalpindi.

Related Guides and Series Coverage

📋 Sri Lanka Tour of Pakistan 2026: Full Schedule, Squads and Match Times

📋 Pakistan Seal T20I Series vs Sri Lanka: Did Dropped Catches Cost Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi?

📋 England Squad for the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series 2026: Crane Returns as Buttler and Archer Miss Out

📋 Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England ODI Tri-Series 2026 Schedule