Pakistan won the ODI tri-series at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday 31 October, chasing down Sri Lanka’s 325/8 in the final with nine balls to spare and three wickets in hand. Fakhar Zaman made 127 off 99 balls and was player of the match, while Arafat Minhas, who hit 61 off 31 in the chase, was named player of the series.
A chase built on Fakhar and Minhas
Sri Lanka batted first and reached 325/8 in their 50 overs. Kamindu Mendis made 131 off 128 balls and Pavan Rathnayake added 77 off 65, with Avishka Fernando contributing 38. Four Pakistan bowlers took two wickets each, Shaheen Shah Afridi (2/50), Salman Agha (2/44), Haris Rauf (2/60) and Naseem Shah (2/80), though Naseem and Rauf were also expensive.
Pakistan finished the chase on 331/7 in 48.3 overs. Fakhar Zaman’s 127 came off 99 balls, Saad Baig made 74 off 75 and Arafat Minhas hit 61 off only 31 to keep the required rate in check. Hasan Nawaz was 37 not out off 45 when the winning runs came. Dilshan Madushanka took 3/63 and Asitha Fernando 2/72 for Sri Lanka.
| Innings | Score | Top performers |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 325/8 (50 overs) | Kamindu Mendis 131 (128), Pavan Rathnayake 77 (65), Avishka Fernando 38 (49). Shaheen Shah Afridi 2/50, Salman Agha 2/44, Haris Rauf 2/60, Naseem Shah 2/80 |
| Pakistan | 331/7 (48.3 overs) | Fakhar Zaman 127 (99), Saad Baig 74 (75), Arafat Minhas 61 (31), Hasan Nawaz 37 not out (45). Dilshan Madushanka 3/63, Asitha Fernando 2/72 |
How the tri-series went
The round-robin involved Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka, with six group games before the final. Pakistan won three of their four group games, beating Sri Lanka by 37 runs, England by 87 runs and England again by one wicket with 17 balls remaining, and lost to Sri Lanka by eight wickets. England beat Sri Lanka by 55 runs in the last group game, and Sri Lanka had beaten England by two wickets with a ball to spare earlier.
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Pakistan won by 37 runs |
| Pakistan v England | Pakistan won by 87 runs |
| England v Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka won by 2 wickets (1 ball remaining) |
| Pakistan v England | Pakistan won by 1 wicket (17 balls remaining) |
| Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets (191 balls remaining) |
| England v Sri Lanka | England won by 55 runs |
| Final | Pakistan won by 3 wickets (9 balls remaining) |
Scores are from the ESPNcricinfo scorecards, read on 1 November 2026.
