In the sixth and final league match of the T20 Tri-Series 2025, Sri Lanka secured a thrilling 6-run victory over Pakistan, thereby cementing their spot in the final. While Sri Lankan batsmen put up a b performance in this match, the Pakistani team, despite coming very close to the target, could not clinch the win.
Sports News: In the sixth match of the T20 Tri-Series, Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 6 runs to secure their place in the final. Pakistan had already qualified for the final before this win, while Zimbabwe's journey in the tournament ended here. Batting first, Kamil Mishara scored a brisk 76 runs and Kusal Mendis added a quickfire 40 runs, helping Sri Lanka post a b total of 184 runs.
In response, Salman Ali Agha's unbeaten innings of 63 runs was not enough to secure victory for Pakistan. Facing Dushmantha Chameera's lethal bowling, Pakistan could only manage 178 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs.
Sri Lanka's Strong Start, A Big Score of 184 Runs
Batting first, Sri Lanka had a very aggressive start. Kamil Mishara played a brilliant innings of 76 runs, showcasing excellent timing and aggressive shots. Besides him, Kusal Mendis played a brisk 40-run innings, putting the team in a b position. The crucial partnership between the two batsmen put pressure on Pakistan's bowlers.
The middle-order batsmen also made valuable contributions, enabling Sri Lanka to post a b total of 184 runs in the stipulated 20 overs. This proved to be one of the most challenging scores of the tournament so far.
Babar Azam's Embarrassing Record
Chasing a target of 184 runs, Pakistan's innings got off to a terrible start. Dushmantha Chameera delivered two major blows in a single over, turning the match in Sri Lanka's favor. First, he dismissed Sahibzada Farhan (9), and then in the same over, he got captain Babar Azam out for a duck. Babar's consistent poor performance is becoming a major concern for Pakistan. He has been struggling to score runs in recent matches.
With his duck in this match, Babar Azam has become jointly the Pakistani player with the most ducks in T20 International cricket. He has equaled Sam Ayub and Umar Akmal in this regard. Most ducks in T20 Internationals:
- Sam Ayub – 10
- Umar Akmal – 10
- Babar Azam – 10
- Shahid Afridi – 8
What is surprising is that Babar has been dismissed for a duck 4 times in his last 9 T20I innings, deepening concerns about his form. However, Salman Ali Agha played a brilliant unbeaten innings of 63 runs for Pakistan, giving the team hope of victory. He maintained the run rate by playing big shots in the final overs.
But no batsman could provide support from the other end. Due to a continuous fall of wickets, Pakistan could only score 178 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs and lost the match by 6 runs. Dushmantha Chameera proved to be the biggest hero in Sri Lanka's victory. He bowled lethally, taking 4 wickets for just 20 runs in his 4-over spell. Chameera derailed Pakistan's run-chase early on, which had an impact throughout the match.
