Sadaqat's 96 Powers Pakistan to 82-Run Win Over Sri Lanka, Series Sealed 2-0

Maaz Sadaqat smashed 96 off 51 balls and captain Sahibzada Farhan hit 73 off 44 as Pakistan thrashed Sri Lanka by 82 runs in the 2nd T20I at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday night, sealing the three-match series 2-0 with a game to spare.

After being put in to bat by Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis, Pakistan posted an imposing 215 for 3 in 20 overs. In reply Sri Lanka never got going and finished on 133 for 7, falling well short of the 216-run target.

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Sadaqat and Farhan set up the rout

Fakhar Zaman and Farhan gave Pakistan a brisk start, adding 55 for the first wicket before Fakhar fell for 22 off 17 to Maheesh Theekshana. Then Sadaqat took over. After going at less than a run a ball early on, the young batter exploded, striking six fours and seven sixes in his 51-ball 96. He added 88 for the second wicket with Farhan, who brought up his 12th T20I half-century with four fours and five sixes.

Dasun Shanaka finally broke the stand in the 15th over, dismissing Farhan for 73. Sadaqat then added 72 with Hasan Nawaz, who finished 19 not out off 9, before falling on the last ball of the innings, four short of a maiden T20I century.

Imran and Mirza wreck the chase

Sri Lanka's chase was in trouble from the start. They slumped to 64 for 5 by the 11th over, with none of their top seven reaching 30. Debutant quick Mohammad Imran was the destroyer with 3 for 11, removing Kusal Mendis, Sineth Jayawardena and Sahan Arachchige, while left-armer Salman Mirza took 2 for 28. Maheesh Theekshana top-scored for the visitors with an unbeaten 32 off 26, and Chamindu Wickramasinghe made 29, but the result was never in doubt.

What it means for the series

The win gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead and marked the country's fifth successive T20I series victory at home, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board. For Farhan, it is a second win in as many matches as T20I captain after Friday's four-wicket triumph in the opener. Sri Lanka, who needed a win to keep the series alive, now play for pride. The third and final T20I is at the same venue on October 13, where Pakistan will chase a whitewash.

Sadaqat was named Player of the Match for his 96 off 51, per ESPNcricinfo.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo match report https://www.cricinfo.com/series/sri-lanka-in-pakistan-2026-27-1550703/pakistan-vs-sri-lanka-2nd-t20i-1550709/match-report, ESPNcricinfo full scorecard https://www.cricinfo.com/series/sri-lanka-in-pakistan-2026-27-1550703/pakistan-vs-sri-lanka-2nd-t20i-1550709/full-scorecard, WE News English https://wenewsenglish.com/pakistan-beat-sri-lanka-by-82-runs-to-seal-t20i-series-2-0/, CricketWorld https://www.cricketworld.com/pakistan-vs-sri-lanka-2nd-t20i-maaz-sadaqats-explosive-96-and-sahibzada-farhans-73-power-pakistan-to-82-run-victory/113761.htm.