Pakistan captain Babar Azam has equaled an unwelcome T20I record for the most ducks by a Pakistani player, a statistic overshadowed by Sri Lanka’s six-run victory in the final league match of the ongoing tri-series. The win propels Sri Lanka into the tournament final.
Sri Lanka managed to defend 184 runs against Pakistan, who experienced a shaky start to their chase. Pakistan found themselves at 43/4, but a determined partnership between captain Salman Ali Agha and Usman Khan helped stabilize the innings. Agha remained unbeaten with 63 runs, but his efforts were not enough to secure a win.
Adding to the team’s disappointment, Babar Azam was dismissed for a second-ball duck. This was his tenth T20I duck, placing him in a tie with Umar Akmal and Saim Ayub for this unfortunate distinction. Azam’s performance in the tournament has been subpar, with only 90 runs from four games at an average of 22.5 and a strike rate of 113.92. This follows a recent period of scoring struggles, despite a century in the preceding ODI series against Sri Lanka.
The match saw Sri Lanka post a strong total of 184/6, thanks to an explosive innings of 76 from Kamil Mishara, who scored at a brisk pace off 48 deliveries. Pakistan’s batting lineup struggled to find momentum early in the pursuit, facing early wickets. The resilience shown by Agha and Khan offered a lifeline, but the required run rate proved too challenging in the closing overs.
Despite the defeat, Pakistan has already qualified for the final, setting up another encounter with Sri Lanka on Saturday, November 29.