Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Green shirts' T20 World Cup campaign ends in heartbreak

Pakistan wins Super 8 clash against Sri Lanka but fails to qualify for the T20 World Cup semifinals

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Green shirts T20 World Cup campaign ends in heartbreak
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Green shirts' T20 World Cup campaign ends in heartbreak

Pakistan eliminated and New Zealand seal semi-final spot despite win against Sri Lanka.

According to BBC, Pakistan post 212-8 with Farhan making 100 and putting on record-breaking 176 with Fakhar for first wicket. Farhan breaks record for most runs (383) in single edition of men's T20 World Cup.

A record partnership by Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan powered Pakistan to 212/8, but they needed to restrict Sri Lanka for 147 to make the cut.

However, the co-hosts scripted a miracle recovery from 94/4, taking the contest to a nail-biting finish, before falling agonisingly short at 207/6 in 20 overs.

The result means New Zealand qualify through superior net run-rate, and join England and South Africa in the semi-finals.

The winner of Sunday, February 28, Super Eight clash between India and West Indies will complete the knockouts line-up.

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss and elected to field first.

Going into the key clash, Pakistan decided to drop former captain Babar Azam. Though technically proficient, Azam has come under fire for his slow strike-rate in the shortest format on the game.

Defending 147, Pakistan made a decent start as they held Sri Lanka held to 49/2 in powerplay. Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed marked their return to the playing XI with early wickets.

Down and out at 101/5, Sri Lanka roared back to life with a 59-run partnership between captain Dasun Shanaka and Pavan Rathnayake.

While it was Rathnayake's swashbuckling 58, with the help of four fours and three sixes, helped them sink their teeth into the contest, it was Shanaka who took them to the brink of victory.