Openers Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan put Pakistan in check with a record opening stand against Sri Lanka in the Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup at the Pallekele International Stadium on Saturday.Pakistan batted first for the opening wicket partnership with 176 runs, their highest stand for any wicket in T20 World Cup history. It is also the third highest partnership for Pakistan in all T20Is.Sri Lanka did not help their cause in the field. Dunith Wellalage dropped Farhan when he was on 75. Kamindu Mendis Liyanage looked to have caught him on 76 but stepped on the boundary cushion.The breakthrough came through Dushmanth Chameer. He lunged wide outside off to Fakhar, who was moving across the crease with the innings. This time Fakhar got an inside edge which deflected onto the stumps.The opening stand of 176 is now a T20 World Cup record, surpassing the unbroken 175-run stand between Finn Allen and Tim Seifert against UAE earlier in the tournament.Highest T20 World Cup partnership (any wicket)176 – Sahibzada Farhan & Fakhar Zaman (PAK) vs SL, Pallekele, 2026*175* – Tim Seifert and Finn Allen (NZ) vs. UAE, Chennai, 2026170* – Jos Buttler & Alex Hales (ENG) vs IND, Adelaide, 2022168 – Quinton de Kock & Rilee Rossouw (SA) vs. BAN, Sydney, 2022166 – Mahela Jayawardene & Kumar Sangakkara (SL) vs WI, Barbados, 2010154 – Ibrahim Zadran & Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG) vs. UGA, Providence, 2024
Pakistan post 212
Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman powered Pakistan to 212 in the first innings. Pakistan’s bowlers need to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less to get past New Zealand on a clean sheet to qualify for the semi-finals.Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl in their last Super 8 match at Pallekele in Kandy.Pakistan made changes to their playing XI. Former captain Babar Azam was left out after a run of low scores. Saim Ayub was also not included.Pakistan came into the match on the back of a narrow loss to two-time champions England on Tuesday. Sri Lanka were already out of the tournament after defeats to England and New Zealand in their first two Super 8 matches.
