Fakhar Zaman's 127, Saad Baig's fifty and Shaheen's finish — Pakistan chase down 326 with three wickets in hand

Pakistan chased down Sri Lanka's target of 326 with three wickets in hand at the tri-series. The scoreboard's brightest name is Fakhar Zaman (127), but the real foundation of the win rested on three less-discussed contributions — Saad Baig's 74, a 94-run partnership between Mohammad Minhas and Mohammad Nawaz, and Shaheen Afridi's contribution with both ball and bat. This was not a one-hero story but the result of responsibilities being shared.

Sri Lanka: strong start, then a collapsing platform in the last nine overs

Sri Lanka had reached 255/2 in 41 overs. Pavan Rathnayake (77) and Kamindu Mendis had taken the score to a point from where 350 looked normal. Kamindu scored 131, his career-best — more than double his previous best. His form in the series had been excellent; Rathnayake scored 427 runs in the series at an average of 106.75 — though that figure rests on only four dismissals, so it should be read as a small sample.

In the last nine overs, Sri Lanka lost six wickets and collapsed from 255/2 to 325/8. This was the phase that changed the match. Shaheen dismissed Kamindu and Dasun Shanaka in this period, and Sri Lanka's momentum stopped abruptly. Pakistan's six wickets in the last nine overs is the most concrete statistic supporting the comeback narrative.

Pakistan's start: 14/2 and Babar's duck

Pakistan's chase wobbled badly. Maaz Sikandar fell as the first wicket, and Babar Azam was out for a duck immediately after. It was a phase in which Babar had gone nine innings without a half-century, and here he could stop only at zero. After two wickets fell at 14, Pakistan's chase was nearly broken.

Saad Baig and Fakhar Zaman: the foundation

Young Saad Baig hit his first international half-century hours before his 20th birthday. He scored 74 off 52 balls — a knock that held one end while wickets fell. His fifty gave Pakistan a lifeline.

On the other side, Fakhar Zaman scored 127, reaching his century in 84 balls. But there is a hidden story: Fakhar was dropped three times — at 6, 69 and 106. Maheesh Theekshana dropped him twice. The meaning is clear: this innings is proof both of Fakhar's talent and of Sri Lanka's fielding lapses. If any one of those catches had been held, the match's course could have changed. Fakhar was out when Pakistan needed 106 runs.

Minhas and Nawaz: the 94-run stand

After Fakhar's dismissal, Mohammad Minhas and Mohammad Nawaz shared a 94-run partnership. It proved the decisive turn, bringing the target within easy reach. Minhas also bowled, but his left-arm spin proved expensive — though the report does not say exactly how expensive. Without that figure, it is hard to judge whether Minhas's all-round contribution was net positive.

The final-overs drama

When Pakistan needed 46 off 30 balls, the match was nearly in their favour. Then came a 15-run over. But drama followed — needing 2 runs, Minhas and Faheem Ashraf fell in succession. It was the moment the 14/2 start nearly repeated. Seven wickets were down and pressure was at its peak.

Haris Rauf then took two late wickets with short bowling. His strikes played an important role in turning the match, even though his figures are not given in the report.

Shaheen's finish

Finally Shaheen Afridi came in and his first big hit went over the boundary. That six sealed Pakistan's win. Shaheen's contribution was double: he restrained Sri Lanka with the ball, dismissed Kamindu and Shanaka, and then finished the match with the bat. Calling this merely 'Fakhar's win' would understate it. The correct distribution of credit is: Fakhar's 127, Saad Baig's 74, the Minhas-Nawaz 94-run stand, and Shaheen's two-ended contribution.

Context: 110 all out four days earlier, now a 326 chase

Four days earlier Pakistan had been bowled out for 110. The same team now chased 326. What changed in four days? The report gives no answer — the contrast is used for drama rather than analysed as a question.

Tri-series context

This was part of a tri-series whose third team was England — never explicitly stated in the report. Readers must infer the series context from indirect signals. The series standings, Pakistan's position and what this win means for the series are all missing.

The road ahead

This win is encouraging for Pakistan, but questions remain. Babar Azam's run without a half-century is a concern. Minhas's expensive spin adds another challenge under pressure. And the biggest question — what would this win have looked like if Fakhar's three catches had been held? That question stays with the game, and perhaps that is why this win tells the story of a collective effort rather than a single hero. A three-wicket win is understood fully only when Sri Lanka's last-nine-over collapse, Fakhar's three reprieves, and Shaheen's two-ended contribution are read together.