Cricket

Pakistan spin Sri Lanka to T20 tri-series final defeat

By AAP Newswire

Nov 30, 2025

Final T20 series trophy — Pakistan celebrate their T20 tri-series triumph after beating Sri Lanka in the final. -AP

Pakistan have won the Twenty20 tri-series after their spinners baffled Sri Lanka in a six-wicket victory in the final.

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Sri Lanka lost their last eight wickets for just 16 runs on Saturday and were bowled out for 114 in 19.1 overs.

Pakistan then cruised to 4-118 with eight balls to spare. Opening batters Saim Ayub (36) and Sahibzada Farhan (23) provided a solid start and Babar Azam scored an unbeaten 37 off 34 balls to guide them home.

Sri Lanka came into the final with back-to-back wins over Zimbabwe and Pakistan but crumbled against spinners Mohammad Nawaz, who took 3-17, Abrar Ahmed (2-18) and Ayub (1-17).

"It was a great performance from us," Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said.

"We have been doing well in both ODIs and T20Is … we are pretty much ready for the World Cup. We still have six games before the World Cup to try out things if we want but we are pretty much clear on our 15 players."

Sri Lanka, made to bat first, looked set to post a competitive total by reaching 1-81 by halfway. Left-handed opener Kamil Mishara staked his claim for next year's T20 World Cup with 59 off 47 balls in a 64-run stand with Kusal Mendis (14).

But the slide began when Babar plucked a terrific catch over his head on the long-off boundary in Nawaz's first over to dismiss Mendis in the 11th over.

Mishara, who raised his half-century off 37 balls, tried to push the scoring rate but Babar hung onto another brilliant diving catch and Sri Lanka slipped to 3-98 in the 14th over.

Ahmed then claimed two wickets in one over and Babar capped a great day in the outfield by catching Pavan Rathnayake.

Nawaz finished the tri-series as the top wicket-taker with 10 when he dismissed Janith Liyanage and Wanindu Hasaranga cheaply, while Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-18) mopped up the tail.

In the chase, Ayub was aggressive against Maheesh Theekshana in the power play and hit the spinner for three boundaries in one over. Farhan smacked Hasaranga for a six and a four off the first two balls the leg-spinner bowled after the power play.

Although Rathnayake claimed the wickets of Agha and Fakhar Zaman in successive overs, Babar stayed calm and guided Dushmantha Chameera to third for the winning boundary.