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

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-11-01

Fakhar Zaman scored 127 runs and Arafat Minhas smashed 61 off 31 balls to guide Pakistan to a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the One-Day International tri-series final. The match took place on October 31, 2026, at a packed Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Pakistan reached 327 runs for seven in 48.3 overs with nine balls remaining to successfully reach Sri Lanka's target of 326 runs. Pakistan secured their first ODI tri-series title since their Kitply Cup victory over India in Dhaka. ### Kamindu's Maiden Century Set a Competitive Total Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and chose to field. Sri Lanka's openers Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando scored 50 runs inside the first ten overs. Avishka scored 38 runs off 49 balls, hitting two fours and a six. However, he lost his wicket to Salman Ali Agha in the 18th over. Four overs later, Salman Agha struck again to remove Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis. This left Sri Lanka at 109 for two in the 22nd over. Mendis reached his maiden ODI century off 107 balls in the 34th over. He scored 131 runs off 128 deliveries, hitting 12 fours and two sixes. On the other end, Rathnayake scored 77 runs off 65 balls. The pair shared a 146-run partnership for the third wicket off 119 balls. They took Sri Lanka to 238 for two after 40 overs. Shaheen Afridi broke Sri Lanka's third-wicket stand in the 42nd over. Two overs later, Shaheen bowled out Dasun Shanaka for 17 runs off nine balls. Haris Rauf then dismissed Rathnayake. Rathnayake finished as the highest run-scorer of the tri-series tournament with 427 runs. Naseem Shah dismissed Janith Liyanage, while Rauf and Naseem removed Dunith Wellalage and Sahan Arachchige. Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 70 runs in their final nine overs to finish on 325 for eight. ### Fakhar Zaman Century Secured Pakistan's Victory Pakistan lost early wickets in their chase of 326 runs. Dilshan Madushanka bowled out Maaz Sadaqat for five runs in the second over. In the fourth over, Madushanka removed Babar Azam for a five-ball duck. Fakhar Zaman and Saad Baig recovered with a 149-run partnership for the third wicket. Saad Baig hit 11 boundaries to score 74 runs off 75 balls. Fakhar scored his 20th ODI half-century off 52 balls in the 22nd over. He completed his 12th ODI century off 84 balls in the 30th over. Madushanka finally bowled Fakhar in the 34th over for 127 runs off 99 balls. His innings included 11 fours and six sixes. Pakistan slipped to 230 for five in the 37th over when Salman Agha lost his wicket for 17 runs. Pakistan still needed 96 runs from the final 78 deliveries. Arafat Minhas completed his half-century off 28 balls and finished with 61 runs off 31 balls, including three fours and four sixes. Minhas and Hasan Nawaz added 50 runs off 49 balls for the sixth wicket to bring Pakistan close to victory. Minhas lost his wicket in the 48th over with Pakistan needing two runs to win. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi smashed a six over midwicket off Dilshan Madushanka in the 49th over to secure the win. ### What Made This Win Special This victory was more than just another trophy for Pakistan. It marked their first ODI tri-series title in years, and it came in front of a home crowd that had waited a long time for a moment like this. - **Fakhar Zaman** proved once again why he's the man for big occasions, joining Saeed Anwar as the only batters with multiple centuries in ODI finals. - **Arafat Minhas** showed nerves of steel, turning a tense chase into a celebration with his 31-ball blitz. - **Shaheen Shah Afridi** led from the front, both with the ball and with the winning six. > "Cricket is a game of moments, and Pakistan grabbed every single one when it mattered." For fans in the United States watching from afar, this final had everything: a maiden century, a record chase, and a finish that kept everyone on the edge of their seats until the very last over.