Mendis’ Power Helps Sri Lanka Break Rawalpindi’s Winning Streak, But Pakistan Claim the T20I Series

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, October 13, 2026: Kusal Mendis had watched Pakistan dominate the first two Twenty20 Internationals, but the Sri Lanka captain reserved his strongest response for the finale. His unbeaten 87 from 48 deliveries carried Sri Lanka to a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, ending Pakistan’s hopes of a series whitewash. Chasing 169, Sri Lanka reached 172/2 in 17.1 overs, with Kusal striking the winning boundary and moving past Pathum Nissanka to become his country’s leading men’s T20I run-scorer with 2,791 runs.

Pakistan still collected the series trophy after winning the first two matches, while their new captain Sahibzada Farhan earned Player of the Series honors with three consecutive half-centuries and 238 runs. His 76 from 47 balls and a record 66-run seventh-wicket partnership with Arafat Minhas rescued Pakistan from 102/6 to 168/8. But Sri Lanka’s bowling had already done enough damage. Dasun Shanaka claimed 3/21, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth controlled the scoring through the middle overs, and Kusal combined with Kamindu Mendis in an unbroken 98-run partnership that completed Sri Lanka’s most convincing batting performance of the series.

Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka Third T20I: Final Score and Match Summary

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field in the final match of the three-game series, played under lights in Rawalpindi.

The result was confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s official third T20I report.

Match Statistics: Where Sri Lanka Took Control

The teams were separated by only two runs during the Powerplay, but Pakistan had already lost an additional wicket. By the time Sri Lanka reached the middle overs, their stronger batting position allowed Kusal and Kamindu to maintain an aggressive chase without taking unnecessary risks.

Kusal Mendis Turns the Final T20I Into a Captain’s Statement

Kusal Mendis scores an unbeaten 87 from 48 balls

Sri Lanka began their chase of 169 with an early setback.

Mohammad Imran trapped Lahiru Udara lbw for one in the second over, leaving the visitors at 15/1.

Pakistan had the breakthrough they wanted.

What followed was a much more difficult evening for their bowlers.

Kusal Mendis joined Sineth Jayawardena, and the pair quickly rebuilt Sri Lanka’s innings.

Jayawardena provided attacking support with 38 from 26 deliveries, striking five fours and two sixes.

Kusal was equally assertive, keeping the chase moving with decisive boundary strokes and consistent scoring between them.

They added 59 runs for the second wicket, taking Sri Lanka to 74 before Arafat Minhas dismissed Jayawardena off the final delivery of the eighth over.

It was Pakistan’s second wicket and their last.

Kamindu Mendis Gives Kusal the Partnership Pakistan Cannot Break

Kamindu Mendis joined his captain with Sri Lanka requiring another 95 runs from 72 balls.

At that point, Pakistan were not completely out of the contest.

Two or three quick wickets could still have changed the chase.

But Kusal and Kamindu denied Pakistan that opportunity.

Kamindu played a controlled innings of 40 not out from 27 deliveries, hitting four boundaries.

His strike rate of 148.14 complemented Kusal’s 181.25, allowing Sri Lanka to maintain scoring momentum without depending entirely on one batter.

By the end of the 11th over, Sri Lanka had already reached 100.

They passed 150 during the 16th over.

The chase ended at 17.1 when Kusal drove Razaullah through the covers for four.

The captain finished with nine fours and four sixes.

His final stroke completed an unbeaten 98-run partnership and gave Sri Lanka victory with 17 deliveries remaining.

That partnership also explained the difference between the teams.

Pakistan’s middle order repeatedly lost wickets after the Powerplay. Sri Lanka lost only one wicket after the opening breakthrough and had enough batting resources to attack throughout the final stages.

Kusal Becomes Sri Lanka’s Leading Men’s T20I Run-Scorer

The innings also produced a major individual milestone.

Kusal reached 2,791 career runs in men’s T20 internationals, moving past Pathum Nissanka’s tally of 2,784 shown in the updated match statistics.

The achievement carries significance beyond a single match.

Kusal has developed into one of Sri Lanka’s most important multi-format batters, combining wicketkeeping responsibilities with top-order batting and leadership.

His recent performances have shown an ability to produce substantial innings in different conditions.

In September, he scored 121 against England in an ODI at Headingley before Sri Lanka defended 321 to win by 16 runs.

That performance and his role in Sri Lanka’s tactical recovery were examined in The Sports Encounter’s analysis of Kusal’s century and Sri Lanka’s victory over England.

Rawalpindi provided a different challenge.

Instead of constructing a 50-over total, Kusal had to pursue a demanding T20 target under scoreboard pressure after his side had suffered two consecutive defeats.

His response demonstrated why Sri Lanka continue placing considerable responsibility on his batting.

Shanaka’s Three-Wicket Spell Exposes Pakistan’s Middle Order

Dasun Shanaka takes 3/21 in four overs

Sri Lanka’s victory was built before Kusal began his innings.

Dasun Shanaka delivered the most effective spell of the match, taking three wickets for only 21 runs from four overs.

He dismissed Khawaja Nafay for three, Mohammad Imran for six and Abdul Samad for 15.

Those wickets came during a period when Pakistan desperately needed support for Farhan.

Nafay fell at 72/4.

Imran followed at 86/5.

Samad was dismissed at 102/6 in the 14th over.

Three wickets in that section of the innings prevented Pakistan from turning Farhan’s half-century into a commanding total.

Shanaka’s economy rate of 5.25 was the best among Sri Lanka’s bowlers.

In a match where Pakistan ultimately scored at 8.40 runs per over, his ability to concede fewer than six runs per over created a substantial advantage.

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth Makes His Selection Count

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth also delivered an important performance.

The leg-spinner conceded only 23 runs from four overs and dismissed Hasan Nawaz for 16.

His economy rate of 5.75 gave Sri Lanka control through an important middle-overs phase.

He also delivered 10 dot balls, restricting Pakistan’s ability to rotate the strike.

Viyaskanth’s contribution mattered because Sri Lanka had made a change to their bowling combination for the final match.

Maheesh Theekshana made way for Viyaskanth, giving the visitors a different wrist-spin option.

On the evidence of Tuesday’s result, the change provided exactly the sort of middle-overs control Sri Lanka had lacked during Pakistan’s dominant batting performance in the second T20I.

Thushara and Malinga Strike Before Pakistan Can Settle

Nuwan Thushara and Eshan Malinga also claimed two wickets each.

Malinga removed Fakhar Zaman and Maaz Sadaqat during the fourth over, reducing Pakistan to 34/2.

Fakhar had made 12 from seven balls, while Maaz departed for a three-ball duck.

The dismissals were especially significant because both batters had been selected to provide early aggression.

Thushara later dismissed Farhan for 76 with the penultimate delivery of the innings and bowled Razaullah for a first-ball duck to finish the innings.

He ended with 2/38, while Malinga also returned 2/38.

Sri Lanka’s attack therefore combined early wickets, controlled middle overs and late dismissals.

That combination was far more effective than relying on one excellent bowling spell.

Pakistan Collapse to 102/6 Before Farhan and Minhas Stage a Record Recovery

Pakistan’s innings was dominated by a familiar figure.

Sahibzada Farhan scored 76 from 47 deliveries, striking seven fours and three sixes.

He reached his half-century from 34 balls.

But the captain received limited support from the top and middle orders.

After the early dismissals of Fakhar and Maaz, Hasan Nawaz made 16 from 17 balls.

Nafay contributed three, Imran six and Samad 15.

By 13.4 overs, Pakistan were 102/6.

They had only 38 deliveries remaining and were in danger of finishing well below the score required to seriously challenge Sri Lanka.

Farhan then found the partner Pakistan had been missing.

Arafat Minhas Turns 102/6 Into 168/8

Arafat Minhas arrived with Pakistan’s innings under considerable pressure.

He responded with an unbeaten 34 from only 20 deliveries.

The left-handed all-rounder hit two fours and two sixes, scoring at a strike rate of 170.

Farhan and Minhas added 66 runs for the seventh wicket, taking the score from 102/6 to 168/7.

The partnership broke Pakistan’s previous men’s T20I seventh-wicket record of 50, held by Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan.

It was an important achievement because seventh-wicket partnerships usually involve players who have to recover from significant batting damage.

Farhan and Minhas were not merely attempting to survive.

They maintained an aggressive scoring rate and added 66 runs in 37 deliveries.

Without that partnership, Pakistan might have struggled to reach a competitive total.

Farhan fell at 19.5 overs, and Razaullah was bowled on the final ball.

Pakistan closed at 168/8.

What the Seventh-Wicket Record Reveals About Pakistan’s Batting

The partnership offers two different interpretations.

It shows that Pakistan have lower-order players capable of changing an innings quickly.

It also highlights the vulnerability of a batting lineup that required its seventh-wicket pair to rescue the total.

In the opening two matches, Pakistan’s top order had supplied the strongest performances.

In the third, Farhan became increasingly isolated as wickets fell around him.

Minhas’s late contribution helped restore the innings, but Sri Lanka’s comfortable chase demonstrated that the recovery was insufficient.

That is an important selection lesson.

Lower-order depth can rescue a damaged innings. It cannot consistently compensate for a middle order that loses too many wickets before the final five overs.

Farhan Scores Three Consecutive Half-Centuries and Completes a Record Series

Despite the defeat, Sahibzada Farhan leaves the series with the strongest individual batting record.

He scored a half-century in all three T20Is.

His 238 runs represent a reported Pakistan record for a three-match men’s T20I series.

Farhan’s combined strike rate was approximately 165.28.

That figure is particularly impressive because his scores were not accumulated in identical match situations.

In the first T20I, he led Pakistan’s chase of 183 with 89.

In the second, he scored 73 during an aggressive 215/3, the country’s highest T20I total on home soil.

In the final match, he had to bat deep into the innings after Pakistan lost six wickets for 102.

His ability to maintain substantial run production across those circumstances was the strongest argument for the Player of the Series award.

Farhan’s Captaincy Begins With a Trophy and a Lesson

The series was Farhan’s first bilateral T20I assignment as Pakistan captain on home soil.

Pakistan had appointed him following major changes to the squad after the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Seven players from the World Cup squad were left out of the group selected for Sri Lanka, including former T20I captain Salman Ali Agha.

The Sports Encounter examined the changes and their implications in our detailed analysis of Pakistan’s T20 captaincy reset.

Winning the first two matches gave Farhan an encouraging start.

The final defeat introduced a different challenge.

Pakistan’s selection changes, middle-order difficulties and expensive bowling against Kusal provided evidence of weaknesses that the earlier victories had not fully exposed.

Farhan said afterward that his team had set excellent targets in the first two matches but lost too many early wickets in the third.

He explained that his response was to bat deeper into the innings.

He also cautioned against judging a player too quickly after one unsuccessful game.

That is a sensible principle during a period of substantial squad experimentation.

But giving players time must also involve establishing their roles clearly enough for selectors and coaches to evaluate whether they are succeeding.

Maaz Sadaqat’s Duck Shows Why Pakistan Must Separate Talent From Consistency

Maaz Sadaqat experienced the sharpest individual reversal of the series.

Only two days earlier, he had scored 96 from 51 deliveries in Pakistan’s 82-run victory.

His innings included seven sixes and helped Pakistan reach 215/3.

In the final match, Malinga dismissed him for a duck.

The contrast is striking, but one failure does not invalidate the qualities demonstrated by his earlier performance.

Maaz has already established a record of match-winning contributions in domestic and franchise cricket.

His development, including a 112-run CPL playoff innings, was examined in TSE’s profile of Maaz Sadaqat’s rapid rise.

His task now is to translate those occasional outstanding performances into more reliable international production.

That means adapting against different bowling attacks, managing early setbacks and understanding when to preserve his wicket rather than immediately attacking.

Pakistan should resist treating either the 96 or the duck as a definitive judgment.

The more useful measure will be whether Maaz develops a recognizable, repeatable role across a larger number of matches.

Why Pakistan’s Bowling Could Not Defend 168

Pakistan’s batting collapse explains part of the defeat, but the bowling performance also deserves scrutiny.

Sri Lanka required 8.45 runs per over at the beginning of the chase.

They finished at approximately 10.01.

The visitors therefore scored more quickly than the target initially demanded.

Mohammad Imran’s early wicket gave Pakistan an opportunity.

But the remaining bowlers could not maintain consistent pressure.

Salman Mirza conceded 40 runs from three overs, while Razaullah gave away 37 from 3.1.

Those spells accounted for 77 runs from only 37 deliveries.

Imran was Pakistan’s most economical specialist pace option, taking 1/31 from four overs.

Arafat Minhas also contributed a wicket, dismissing Jayawardena, but Pakistan could not break the partnership between Kusal and Kamindu.

Why Wickets Mattered More Than Simply Controlling Boundaries

Against an established batting pair, Pakistan needed a breakthrough.

Even an over containing few boundaries was unlikely to reverse the chase if the Sri Lankan batters continued rotating the strike and preserved their wickets.

At 74/2, the contest remained recoverable.

By the time Kusal and Kamindu had established their partnership, Sri Lanka possessed enough batting depth and time to absorb an occasional quiet over.

Pakistan could not force either batter into sustained defensive play.

That is why the unbroken 98-run stand mattered more than individual boundary totals alone.

Pakistan’s Wider T20 Problem Remains Role Clarity

The series has provided encouraging performances from Farhan, Maaz, Mohammad Imran and Arafat Minhas.

But the final match demonstrates why assembling talented T20 cricketers is only the beginning.

Selectors and coaches must identify who attacks during the Powerplay, who stabilizes the innings after wickets, who provides middle-over acceleration and which bowlers are trusted against established batting partnerships.

TSE previously examined this problem in our analysis of Pakistani players succeeding in franchise T20 leagues without always translating those performances into consistent national-team roles.

Rawalpindi provides another opportunity to make that discussion more specific.

Farhan has established himself as a productive top-order leader.

Arafat has demonstrated lower-order power.

Imran has shown wicket-taking ability.

The remaining challenge is to make these strengths function together against opponents capable of sustaining pressure for the full 20 overs.

Kusal and Kamindu Give Sri Lanka a Template After a Difficult White-Ball Year

Sri Lanka’s victory was particularly welcome after several disappointing white-ball results during 2026.

The team endured a difficult T20I tour of England in September, losing the three-match series.

Injuries and changes to the batting and bowling combinations also complicated preparations.

The problems facing Sri Lanka’s T20 side were examined in The Sports Encounter’s England-Sri Lanka T20I series preview.

The Rawalpindi finale produced a more complete team performance.

Shanaka and Viyaskanth controlled the middle overs.

Thushara and Malinga provided early and late wickets.

Kusal and Kamindu then built a chase without exposing the lower order to unnecessary pressure.

It was the type of coordinated performance Sri Lanka had often struggled to deliver consistently.

Kusal’s Leadership Has Already Produced Important ODI Results

Kusal’s value as captain is not limited to the shortest format.

During Sri Lanka’s September ODI series against England, he made a century at Headingley as the visitors recovered from a difficult opening defeat.

Although Sri Lanka eventually lost the series decider heavily, the middle match demonstrated the team’s capacity to combine disciplined batting with aggressive bowling.

The challenges of sustaining that performance were detailed in TSE’s analysis of England’s 223-run victory in the third ODI.

Rawalpindi’s third T20I offers encouraging evidence of a better balance.

Kusal’s 87 was the decisive individual innings, but the captain could rely on contributions from several players across the match.

How Pakistan Won the Series Despite Losing the Final Match

Pakistan’s series victory was secured before Tuesday’s game began.

The hosts won the opening match by four wickets and the second by 82 runs.

First T20I: Farhan Sets the Standard With 89

Sri Lanka made 182/8 after Lahiru Udara scored 91 from 55 deliveries.

Pakistan then chased the target in 18.5 overs, reaching 187/6.

Farhan made 89, while Maaz contributed 50 from 29 balls.

The victory gave Farhan a successful beginning to his new leadership assignment.

The PCB’s first T20I report confirms the innings and four-wicket victory.

Second T20I: Pakistan Produce Their Highest Home Total

The second match was Pakistan’s most dominant performance of the series.

Maaz scored 96 from 51 deliveries, while Farhan contributed 73 from 44.

Pakistan posted 215/3, their highest T20I total on home soil.

Mohammad Imran then took 3/11 as Sri Lanka were restricted to 133/7.

The 82-run victory secured an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

The PCB’s official second T20I report documents the batting records and Imran’s bowling performance.

Third T20I: Sri Lanka Refuse to Leave Empty-Handed

Pakistan made four changes for the final match, while Sri Lanka replaced Maheesh Theekshana with Vijayakanth Viyaskanth.

The visitors delivered their strongest bowling performance of the series and completed a comfortable chase.

The result prevented a Pakistan whitewash and gave Sri Lanka an important victory before the teams move into ODI cricket.

Pakistan’s 2-1 series win remains an encouraging first assignment for Farhan.

But Sri Lanka leave with evidence that their batting lineup can perform considerably better than it did during the opening two matches.

What Comes Next for Pakistan and Sri Lanka?

The teams now turn their attention to a one-day international tri-series involving England.

Pakistan’s next white-ball assignment begins on October 18 in Rawalpindi, with the tournament final scheduled for October 31 in Lahore.

The change in format presents new selection and tactical challenges.

Pakistan will return to the ODI leadership of Shaheen Shah Afridi, while Kusal continues to lead Sri Lanka.

Several players who featured in the T20I series will have to adjust their batting tempo, bowling workloads and tactical responsibilities.

For Pakistan, the broader challenge is ensuring that success in T20 cricket becomes part of a consistent development strategy rather than another isolated series result.

The country’s ability to provide meaningful opportunities for emerging players also depends partly on its domestic and franchise structures.

TSE’s Asian Games cricket analysis examined how several of Pakistan’s young players were being tested in international tournament conditions before returning to senior-team opportunities.

Farhan subsequently guided Pakistan to the Asian Games final, where India won the gold-medal match by 19 runs.

That result and the wider Asian Games campaign were reviewed in TSE’s final Asian Games assessment.

The Sri Lanka series now provides another stage in that progression, with the ODI tri-series offering a different test for both teams.

Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka Third T20I: Complete Scorecard

Pakistan Innings: 168/8 in 20 Overs

Did not bat: Salman Mirza, Sufyan Moqim.

Fall of wickets: 34/1 (Fakhar Zaman, 3.1), 34/2 (Maaz Sadaqat, 3.4), 67/3 (Hasan Nawaz, 8.2), 72/4 (Khawaja Nafay, 9.3), 86/5 (Mohammad Imran, 11.5), 102/6 (Abdul Samad, 13.4), 168/7 (Sahibzada Farhan, 19.5), 168/8 (Razaullah, 19.6).

Sri Lanka Bowling

Sri Lanka Innings: 172/2 in 17.1 Overs

Did not bat: Sahan Arachchige, Dasun Shanaka, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Eshan Malinga, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara.

Fall of wickets: 15/1 (Lahiru Udara, 1.1), 74/2 (Sineth Jayawardena, 8.0).

Partnerships: Kusal Mendis and Sineth Jayawardena added 59 for the second wicket; Kusal and Kamindu Mendis added an unbeaten 98 for the third.

Pakistan Bowling

Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka Third T20I: Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the third T20I between Pakistan and Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka won by eight wickets at Rawalpindi on October 13, 2026, reaching 172/2 in 17.1 overs while chasing Pakistan’s 168/8.

Who won the Pakistan-Sri Lanka T20I series?

Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1 after winning the opening two matches. Sri Lanka won the third and final T20I.

How many runs did Kusal Mendis score?

Kusal Mendis scored an unbeaten 87 from 48 balls, including nine fours and four sixes, and was named Player of the Match.

Who is Sri Lanka’s leading men’s T20I run-scorer?

According to the updated match statistics, Kusal Mendis reached 2,791 runs during the third T20I, surpassing Pathum Nissanka’s 2,784.

Who was Player of the Series?

Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan won the award after scoring 238 runs, including three consecutive half-centuries.

What was Farhan’s score in the third T20I?

Farhan scored 76 from 47 deliveries with seven fours and three sixes.

What record did Farhan and Arafat Minhas break?

They added 66 runs for Pakistan’s seventh wicket, surpassing the previous national men’s T20I record of 50 held by Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan.

Who took the most wickets for Sri Lanka?

Dasun Shanaka took three wickets for 21 runs from four overs, removing Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Imran and Abdul Samad.

How many balls remained when Sri Lanka won?

Sri Lanka completed their chase with 17 balls remaining.

What is Pakistan’s next international white-ball tournament?

Pakistan will compete in an ODI tri-series alongside Sri Lanka and England, beginning October 18, 2026.

The Sports Encounter Verdict: Farhan Won the Series, but Mendis Exposed the Work Still Ahead

Pakistan leave Rawalpindi with the trophy and several encouraging individual performances.

Farhan has delivered three consecutive half-centuries, justified his Player of the Series award and given his captaincy a successful beginning.

Maaz has shown that he can produce exceptional T20 innings.

Imran has demonstrated wicket-taking ability, while Arafat supplied the series’ most important lower-order batting partnership.

Those are meaningful developments.

But Sri Lanka’s victory also highlighted the questions Pakistan must answer.

The middle order could not provide Farhan with consistent support.

Several bowling options struggled when Kusal and Kamindu established themselves.

And the hosts failed to translate a record seventh-wicket recovery into a defensible total.

Sri Lanka deserve full credit for exploiting those weaknesses.

Shanaka removed three middle-order batters, Viyaskanth controlled the scoring, and Kusal produced an innings that combined aggression with effective chase management.

Kamindu ensured the captain was not left to complete the job alone.

The result prevented Pakistan from completing a whitewash, gave Sri Lanka a welcome victory and produced an individual T20I runs milestone for Kusal.

For Farhan, the series remains an important success.

For Pakistan’s selectors, the defeat offers useful evidence about which combinations and roles still require attention.

The trophy belongs to Pakistan.

The final word in Rawalpindi belongs to Kusal Mendis.

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