He had just been handed the captaincy four days earlier. He had just led Pakistan to an Asian Games silver medal in Japan. He had just arrived in Rawalpindi with seven new faces in his squad and the pressure of a fresh era on his shoulders. Then Sri Lanka won the toss and made Pakistan chase. And Sahibzada Farhan answered every question. Farhan’s 89 Fires Pakistan to Victory against Sri Lanka in the 1st T20.
The Result of the 1st T20
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in the first T20I at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 9, 2026. Sri Lanka posted 182 for 8 from their 20 overs. Pakistan chased 183 in 18.5 overs for the loss of six wickets. Sahibzada Farhan was named Player of the Match.
This was Farhan’s first match as permanent Pakistan T20I captain following his official appointment on October 5. Pakistan lead the three-match T20I series 1-0.
Sri Lanka’s Innings: Lahiru Udara’s 91 Carried Their Total
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first in Rawalpindi. The decision was puzzling given that the Rawalpindi pitch is a flat road and Pakistan’s batting has historically thrived chasing under the lights at this ground. Sri Lanka’s choice made Pakistan’s job easier before a ball was bowled.
Lahiru Udara was Sri Lanka’s standout performer with 91 runs. He was the only Sri Lanka batter who played with any authority on a surface that offered consistent value to batters who showed patience. The rest of the lineup around him struggled to convert starts. Kamil Mishara took nine deliveries to get off the mark in the opening overs. By the end of the fourth over Sri Lanka were scoring at barely a run-a-ball.
Sri Lanka put up 70 in the powerplay which was acceptable but their inability to accelerate through the middle overs meant the damage was limited. They managed only 41 runs across the final four overs. A floodlight failure disrupted play when Sri Lanka were 168 for 6 in the 18th over with Udara on 87 and Theekshana on 1. When play resumed, the momentum never returned. Sri Lanka finished on 182 for 8. They were also gifted 29 extras from Pakistan’s bowling which contributed significantly to a total that may otherwise have been closer to 155.
Pakistan’s Bowling: Naseem and Mohammad Imran Star
Pakistan’s bowling attack performed well despite the excessive extras. Naseem Shah returned to Pakistan’s T20I setup with immediate impact. He took 3 for 36 from his four overs. His pace, direction, and ability to generate late movement made him the most dangerous Pakistan bowler across the Sri Lanka innings.
Mohammad Imran Randhawa made his T20I debut tonight alongside Razaullah who also appeared for the first time at international level. Imran Randhawa responded to his debut with 2 for 21 from his allotted four overs. His performance was the second most impressive bowling contribution of the night after Naseem.
Taking two wickets in a T20I debut against a touring side at Rawalpindi on the first night of the new Pakistan T20I era is a strong start for a player who was unknown to most casual fans before tonight.
Razaullah was the other debutant. He took 1 for 29 from three overs. Abrar Ahmed, who bowled so well in the Asian Games, added control in the middle overs. Pakistan’s bowling kept Sri Lanka to a total that was always below what Rawalpindi typically produces.
The Chase: Farhan and Fakhar Set the Platform
Pakistan needed 183. From the opening over, Farhan and Fakhar Zaman made clear they were not treating this as a difficult chase. They put on 50 runs in just 29 balls for the first wicket with Farhan contributing 28 and Fakhar 21 in that opening phase.
Pakistan powered to 70 in the powerplay, already 25 runs ahead of where Sri Lanka had been at the same stage. The contrast in batting intent between the two sides in the opening six overs was the match in a single statistic. Pakistan took 25 balls to match Sri Lanka’s four-over score. The chase was always going to belong to Pakistan once the powerplay confirmed their superiority in intent and execution.
Sahibzada Farhan: 89 Off 53 Balls in His First Match as Captain
The innings Farhan played tonight was the clearest possible answer to everyone who questioned whether he was ready for the captaincy. He scored 89 off 53 balls. His fifty came off a rapid sequence of strokes including a flat-bat drive past mid-off described as predatory timing by commentators.
He launched Nuwan Thushara for six over deep cover before being caught at deep mid-wicket off Thushara for 89, one blow away from completing a maiden century in his first match as Pakistan’s permanent T20I captain.
He fell at 155 for 3 in the 14th over after a partnership with Maaz Sadaqat had taken Pakistan within 30 of the target. His dismissal tightened the match briefly. But by then the foundations had been laid so well that even a wobble in the middle order could not prevent the result. The story of how Pakistan’s captaincy has evolved to give Farhan this opportunity is explored in our piece on Pakistan cricket team captaincy past and future.
Maaz Sadaqat’s 50: Another Asian Games Hero Delivers
Maaz Sadaqat scored 50 alongside Farhan. The CPL Eliminator hero, who scored 112 not out off 49 balls in Barbados and 77 in the Asian Games final, continued his extraordinary run of high-pressure performances in 2026. His 50 in Rawalpindi was important because it came during a specific phase when Sri Lanka had fought back with wickets.
Sadaqat’s ability to play major innings across CPL knockout cricket, Asian Games finals, and now bilateral T20Is against touring Full Members confirms his place in this new Pakistan T20I setup as far more than a squad option.
He is a first-choice middle-order batter who delivers when the match demands it. His six off a slower delivery by Malinga, timed over midwicket for a long six, was described as poorly timed but still powerful enough to clear the fence. That combination of timing, intent, and power is exactly what Pakistan need in the 15th to 18th overs.
The Final Moments: A Wobble That Did Not Matter
Pakistan wobbled after Farhan’s dismissal. They lost wickets in quick succession and were 178 for 6 in the 17th over needing five more from 19 balls with four wickets remaining. Khawaja Nafay, the wicketkeeper-batter who also played in the Asian Games, hit the winning six off Malinga in the final over to seal the match. Pakistan reached 187 for 6 in 18.5 overs.
Eshan Malinga took 2 for 33 as the most economical Sri Lanka bowler. Sri Lanka’s bowling did not lack effort. Their total simply did not provide enough margin to compensate for Farhan and Sadaqat’s batting.
Two T20I Debuts: First Night for Imran and Razaullah
The match was notable for two T20I debuts alongside the team performances. Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah both received their first senior Pakistan T20I caps on October 9 in Rawalpindi.
Imran Randhawa’s 2 for 21 made him the more impressive of the two debutants. His accuracy and variety in the middle overs gives Pakistan a genuine allround option in the lower-middle of the bowling order that the Asian Games squad lacked.
Razaullah’s 1 for 29 was acceptable without being dominant. He generated pace from his action and troubled the Sri Lanka lower order in his final over. The fact that both debutants contributed positively to a winning cause on their first night in Pakistan colours is exactly the kind of debut Farhan would have wanted to oversee in his first match as captain.
What This Win Means for Pakistan’s New Era
Farhan’s Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in his first match as captain. The new bowlers debuted with positive returns. The Asian Games players who retained their places delivered. Pakistan lead the series 1-0. The second T20I is on October 11 at Rawalpindi. Another home match on the same ground. Pakistan have two days to prepare for the same opponent.
The individuals producing results in Farhan’s new-look Pakistan T20I era are building on the traditions that Pakistan cricket has set in the format across multiple generations. The broader story of how Pakistan produces generational T20 talent across every coaching and captaincy era is explored in our piece on the best cricket players in Pakistan cricket history.
Conclusion
Sahibzada Farhan scored 89 off 53 balls in his first match as Pakistan’s permanent T20I captain. Maaz Sadaqat scored 50. Naseem Shah took 3 for 36. Mohammad Imran Randhawa took 2 for 21 on his T20I debut. Pakistan chased 183 in 18.5 overs for the loss of six wickets to beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in Rawalpindi. Pakistan lead the series 1-0. Lahiru Udara’s 91 kept Sri Lanka’s total competitive but never dangerous enough. October 11 in Rawalpindi is next. Farhan’s new era has started exactly how he would have written it.
