Sri Lanka secured a resounding eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the third and final Twenty20 International at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, driven by a record-breaking batting performance from opener Kusal Mendis. Despite Sri Lanka’s dominant performance in the final fixture, Pakistan claimed the overall series 2-1 after victories in the opening two encounters.
Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 168 for eight in their allotted 20 overs. Sri Lanka encountered little difficulty in their pursuit, chasing down the 169-run target with 17 balls to spare. Mendis spearheaded the run chase with a brilliant, unbeaten 87 off 48 deliveries, striking nine boundaries and four sixes to dismantle the opposition bowling attack.
During his match-winning innings, Mendis etched his name into the record books as Sri Lanka’s all-time leading run-scorer in T20 International cricket. Coming into the match closely behind teammate Pathum Nissanka—who previously held the national record with 2,784 runs—Mendis pushed his career total to 2,791 runs to claim the top spot.
Supporting performances at the crease consolidated Sri Lanka’s commanding position during the chase. Kamindu Mendis produced a fluent, unbeaten 40 off 27 balls, while Sineth Jayawardene contributed a steady 28 off 26 deliveries to ensure the visitors reached the target comfortably losing only two wickets.
The victory salvaged pride for the touring side following back-to-back defeats earlier in the leg. In the series opener, Sri Lanka posted 182 for eight, but Pakistan successfully chased down the total to claim a four-wicket win. The hosts then demonstrated clinical form in the second fixture, amassing a formidable 215 runs before restricting Sri Lanka to 133 for seven to secure an 82-run victory and seal the series ahead of the final match in Rawalpindi.
