Pakistan entered their final Super 8 fixture of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup with a clear mandate. They needed a win by at least 64 runs against Sri Lanka to leapfrog New Zealand on Net Run Rate and secure the final semifinal berth from Group 2. Ultimately, the Men in Green managed only a narrow five-run victory which saw them bow out of the tournament along with the co-hosts.
Pakistan finished level with New Zealand on three points but their Net Run Rate of -0.123 fell well short of the Kiwis' 1.390. The match itself wasn't short of drama with a tense finish set up by the Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka.
With 28 required off the final six balls, Shanaka launched a stunning counterattack, smashing a four followed by three consecutive sixes, reducing the equation to six needed off two deliveries. Afridi though managed to recover, delivering two dot balls to seal the win and ensure Pakistan exit the Super 8 stage with some pride.
Here are the standout performers from a game that delivered drama, records and heartbreak.
1) Sahibzada Farhan 100 (60)
Sahibzada Farhan walked out with clear intent and by the time he returned to the dugout the Pakistan opener took two T20 World Cup records with him. His 100 off 60 balls made him the first player to score two centuries in a single T20 World Cup campaign.
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He also surpassed Virat Kohli's tally of 319 runs from the 2014 edition to become the highest run-scorer in a single T20 World Cup with 383 runs. Farhan put in a commanding performance which sees him exit the tournament with a sizable lead at the top of the run-scorers charts.
2) Fakhar Zaman 82 (40)
At the other end, Fakhar Zaman accelerated at an even quicker pace. He reached his half-century in 27 balls and finished with 82 off 40, maintaining pressure throughout the powerplay and middle overs.
Together, Farhan and Fakhar grabbed another record, adding 176 for the first wicket, the highest partnership for any wicket in T20 World Cup history. The stand appeared to have put the contest beyond Sri Lanka's reach.
3) Abrar Ahmed 3/23
Recalled to the XI, Abrar Ahmed made an immediate impact, striking with his very first ball in the powerplay. Abrar castled Kamil Mishara with a delivery that skidded through to hit the off-stump.
He returned in the ninth over to remove Charith Asalanka in similar fashion with a sharply turning slower ball that crashed into the stumps. Abrar grabbed his third with the very last ball of his spell when he dismantled Kamindu Mendis' stumps in the 11th over. His 3/23 disrupted Sri Lanka's chase at key intervals and briefly gave Pakistan hope of completing the job with the margin they required.
4) Dasun Shanaka 76* (31)
Pakistan controlled large stretches of the contest but Shanaka nearly overturned the game in the final over. The Sri Lankan skipper brought up his fifty in just 24 balls and launched a late assault that electrified the finish.
Needing 28 off the final over, Shanaka struck four, six, six, six off the first four balls, reducing the target to six from two deliveries. He eventually finished unbeaten on 76 from 31 balls, including eight sixes and two fours.
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