Pakistan vs Sri Lanka will be the ODI tri-series final after Sri Lanka beat the hosts by eight wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Pakistan were bowled out for 110 in 25.3 overs, and Sri Lanka reached the target in 18.1 overs. They won with 191 balls left.
The result also knocked England out. England have lost all three of their games, so Thursday’s match between England and Sri Lanka no longer matters for the final.
Madushanka’s best day
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and chose to bowl first. It worked straight away. Left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka took 5 for 34 in 8.3 overs. That is his best ODI bowling and only his second five-wicket haul.
Pakistan lost three wickets inside the first 10 overs. Fakhar Zaman made five, Maaz Sadaqat made eight and Saad Baig made five. Asitha Fernando got Maaz Sadaqat, while Dilshan Madushanka removed Saad Baig.
Babar Azam was Pakistan’s top scorer with 29 off 33 balls. Salman Ali Agha added only nine before Sahan Arachchige got him. Eshan Malinga then dismissed Babar Azam, and Pakistan were 61 for 5 after 13.1 overs.
Shadab Khan, who hit his first ODI hundred against England two days earlier, fell for two this time. Hasan Nawaz (17) and Arafat Minhas (10) added 27 runs together before Dilshan Madushanka broke the stand. Dunith Wellalage then removed Hasan Nawaz.
Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi hit two sixes in his 15 to push Pakistan past 100. Dilshan Madushanka ended the innings by getting him out. Sahan Arachchige finished with two wickets.
A rare low for Pakistan
The total of 110 is Pakistan’s second-lowest ODI score at home and their third-lowest against Sri Lanka. The win also ended Sri Lanka’s run of five straight ODI defeats against Pakistan.
That is a big change from earlier in the series. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs in the opening game in Rawalpindi on October 18.
Kamindu Mendis takes charge
Sri Lanka chased hard from the first over. Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando put on 50 for the first wicket inside seven overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi then removed Avishka Fernando for 16.
Arafat Minhas got Kusal Mendis for eight when the ball hit his bat and rolled onto the stumps. That was Pakistan’s last success.
Kamindu Mendis stayed unbeaten on 62 off 60 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. Pavan Rathnayake was not out on 23 at the other end. Dilshan Madushanka was named player of the match.
Final on Saturday
Pakistan have already booked their place in the final with three wins from four games. Sri Lanka joined them with two wins from three. The final is set for Saturday, October 31, at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Sri Lanka will go into it full of confidence. They chased 430 against England earlier in the series and have now beaten Pakistan easily. Pakistan, who beat England by one wicket on Sunday, have four days to fix a batting order that folded in under 26 overs.
Brief scores: Pakistan 110 all out in 25.3 overs (Babar Azam 29; Dilshan Madushanka 5-34, Sahan Arachchige 2-24). Sri Lanka 114-2 in 18.1 overs (Kamindu Mendis 62 not out, Pavan Rathnayake 23 not out). Sri Lanka won by eight wickets.
