Fakhar's 127 and Minhas' Late Blitz Seal a Thriller for Pakistan

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-11-01

Sometimes a cricket match gives you everything at once — a maiden century, a record chase, and a finish so tight you forget to breathe. That's exactly what happened at a packed Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 31, 2026, when Pakistan chased down 326 to beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the ODI tri-series final. It was Pakistan's first ODI tri-series title since the Kitply Cup win over India in Dhaka. And honestly? They earned every bit of it. ### Kamindu Mendis Puts Sri Lanka in Charge Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and chose to field. Sri Lanka's openers, Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando, got off to a steady start, putting up 50 runs inside the first ten overs. Fernando made 38 off 49 balls before Salman Ali Agha dismissed him in the 18th over. Four overs later, Agha struck again to remove Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis, leaving them at 109 for two. Then Kamindu Mendis took over. He reached his maiden ODI century off 107 balls in the 34th over and finished with 131 off 128 deliveries, including 12 fours and two sixes. Rathnayake backed him up with 77 off 65 balls, and the pair shared a 146-run stand for the third wicket. Sri Lanka looked set for something massive at 238 for two after 40 overs. But cricket has a way of flipping the script. Shaheen broke the partnership in the 42nd over, and from there Sri Lanka lost six wickets for just 70 runs in their final nine overs. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah cleaned up the tail, and Sri Lanka finished on 325 for eight. Rathnayake ended the tournament as the top run-scorer with 427 runs. ### Fakhar Zaman Keeps Pakistan Alive Chasing 326 is never easy, and Pakistan made it harder on themselves early. Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Maaz Sadaqat for five in the second over, then removed Babar Azam for a five-ball duck in the fourth. At that point, things looked grim. Fakhar Zaman had other ideas. He and Saad Baig rebuilt with a 149-run partnership for the third wicket. Baig hit 11 boundaries on his way to 74 off 75 balls. Fakhar brought up his 20th ODI fifty off 52 balls, then his 12th ODI century off just 84 deliveries. Madushanka finally got him in the 34th over for 127 off 99 balls, with 11 fours and six sixes to his name. Even so, Pakistan slipped to 230 for five in the 37th over. They still needed 96 runs from the last 78 balls. The equation was getting ugly. ### Arafat Minhas Delivers the Knockout Punch Here's where the game turned into something special. > "Arafat Minhas' blitz leads Pakistan to ODI Tri-Series final victory!" — Pakistan Cricket Arafat Minhas walked in and just went for it. He reached his half-century off 28 balls and finished with 61 off 31, smashing three fours and four sixes. Together with Hasan Nawaz, he added 50 runs off 49 balls for the sixth wicket to drag Pakistan to the doorstep of victory. Minhas fell in the 48th over with just two runs needed. That left it to the captain. Shaheen Shah Afridi smashed a six over midwicket off Madushanka in the 49th over to seal it. Pakistan finished on 327 for seven in 48.3 overs, with nine balls to spare. ### The Numbers That Told the Story - **Fakhar Zaman:** 127 off 99 balls (11 fours, six sixes) - **Arafat Minhas:** 61 off 31 balls (three fours, four sixes) - **Saad Baig:** 74 off 75 balls (11 boundaries) - **Kamindu Mendis:** 131 off 128 balls (maiden ODI century) - **Rathnayake:** 77 off 65 balls, tournament's top scorer with 427 runs What made this win stand out wasn't just the chase. It was the timing of every contribution. Fakhar held the innings together when it was falling apart. Minhas turned the pressure back on Sri Lanka when the required rate was climbing. And Shaheen finished it with the bat after doing his job with the ball. Pakistan hadn't won an ODI tri-series since that Kitply Cup in Dhaka. For a team that's been searching for consistency, this one felt like more than just a trophy — it felt like proof.