Pallekele, Feb 28 – Dasun Shanaka's brilliant performance couldn't prevent a narrow 5-run defeat for Sri Lanka, but it eliminated Pakistan from the T20 World Cup, as New Zealand joined England from Group 2 in the semi-finals on Saturday.
With 28 needed in the final over, Shanaka smashed three consecutive sixes and a four off Shaheen Shah Afridi (1/48) to reduce the target to six runs in the last ball. However, Shanaka missed the final delivery, which was called a wide by the umpire, despite the ball crossing the boundary.
Shanaka hit eight sixes and two fours for an unbeaten 76 off 31 balls, as Sri Lanka finished at 206/7 in reply to Pakistan's 212/8. Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to under 147 to advance to the final four.
Sahibzada Farhan's (100) second century in the competition and his record 176-run stand with Fakhar Zaman (84) also proved unsuccessful, as Pakistan were left to rue a late collapse, which saw them lose eight wickets for 36 runs in the last four overs.
Pakistan had slipped from 176/0 in the 16th over to 212/8, with Sri Lankan bowlers finally finding their rhythm.
Pakistan needed to win by at least 64 runs to defeat the Kiwis. However, apart from Abrar Ahmed's superb spell of 4-0-23-3, Pakistan lacked any other bowler who could step up.
Sri Lanka, who were reduced to 101/5 in the 12th over, fought back with Pavan Rathnayake's 58 (37 balls; 4x4s, 3x6s) and Shanaka's heroics during a 61-run stand for the sixth wicket.
England, who won all three of their Super Eights games, topped Group 2 while New Zealand qualified as the second team.
However, it was a disappointing end for Pakistan opener Farhan, who broke Indian superstar Virat Kohli's record of most runs (319) in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.
The 29-year-old Farhan finished with a total of 383 runs in seven matches at an average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.25, hitting two tons and as many fifties.
Sri Lanka had a lackluster start on a flat pitch as Naseem Shah dismissed opener Pathum Nissanka (3) with a slower ball outside off, while the other two openers in the top order, Kamil Mishara (26) and Charith Asalanka (25), failed to capitalize on their starts.
Abrar was accurate, dismissing three Sri Lankan left-handers – Mishara, Asalanka, and Kamindu Mendis (3) – with three stumpings each.
Earlier, Farhan and Fakhar Zaman put on a record partnership to power Pakistan.
While Pakistan openers came out all guns blazing in their bid to put a big score on the board, Sri Lanka's lackluster effort in the field for a large part of the first innings played to their opponent's advantage.
Zaman, who fell for a 42-ball 84 after being dismissed by a shot to his stumps, got two lifelines as he feasted on the Sri Lankan bowling attack, which kept feeding him deliveries in his hitting zone.
Zaman hit nine fours and four sixes for a significant contribution.
While he was on 15, a shot went through Maheesh Theekshana's hands for a boundary off Dasun Shanaka. Zaman was lucky again on 46 as Sri Lanka chose not to appeal for a caught behind, despite their wicketkeeper vehemently appealing after taking the catch.
Farhan (100 off 60 balls, 9x4s, 5x6s) took the early initiative as Pakistan crossed the 50-run mark inside the fifth over, scoring at least 10 runs per over.
Sri Lanka appeared to be lacking a plan or discipline against a batter who had been in form, and they repeatedly kept feeding Farhan deliveries way outside the off or down the leg, allowing him to score easily.
Farhan also benefited from luck. In a bizarre moment of play, on the final ball of the 15th over, Dunith Wellalage ran in hard from near the ropes at long-off, only to drop a catch and give the Pakistan opener his first of two lifelines.
Instead of throwing the ball back in, Wellalage checked his finger and only realised a moment later that the ball was still in play.
Then, on the first ball of the 16th over, Janith Liyanage stepped on the boundary rope while attempting a catch, and Farhan was again unscathed.
However, a flurry of wickets, including Farhan's, who fell immediately after completing his ton, saw Pakistan miss out on some extra runs.
