Pallekele, February 28 Sahibzada Farhan (100) and Fakhar Zaman (84) put on a record partnership of 176 runs for any wicket in the history of the T20 World Cup to power Pakistan to a formidable 212/8 against a struggling Sri Lanka in a Super Eights clash here on Saturday.
Pakistan will need to restrict Sri Lanka to under 147 to have a chance of surpassing New Zealand on net run rate and make the semifinals, and the Salman Agha-led side will need to win by at least 64 runs.
While the Pakistani openers came out all guns blazing in their bid to set a big score, Sri Lanka's lackluster effort in the field for much of the first innings played to their opponent's advantage.
Zaman, who fell for an 84 off 42 balls in the 16th over after getting hit on the stumps, was given two lifelines as he feasted on the Sri Lankan bowling attack, which kept feeding the left-handed batsman in his hitting zone.
Zaman hit nine fours and four sixes to make a significant contribution at the top.
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 for it after taking the catch.
It was Farhan (100 off 60 balls, 9x4s, 5x6s) who took the early initiative as Pakistan crossed the 50-run mark inside the fifth over, maintaining their momentum of scoring at least 10 runs per over.
The right-handed Farhan broke Indian superstar Virat Kohli's record of most runs (319) in a single edition of the T20 World Cup and also notched up his second ton of the tournament, against a bowling attack that kept missing its line and length under pressure.
Sri Lanka appeared to lack a plan or discipline against a batsman who was in form, and they repeatedly fed Farhan deliveries well outside off or down the leg to score easily.
Farhan also had luck on his side. 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 his two lifelines.
But instead of throwing the ball back in, Wellalage began checking his finger and only realized a moment or two 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 taking a catch as Farhan emerged unscathed again.
However, a flurry of wickets, including Farhan's, who fell immediately after completing his ton, saw Pakistan lose some crucial runs in the middle.
From 176/0 in the 16th over, Pakistan lost eight wickets for 36 runs in the last four overs.
