Pakistan registered a thrilling five-run victory over Sri Lanka in their last Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday (February 28). However, the win wasn’t enough for the Men in Green to qualify for semifinals.

Invited to bat first, Pakistan posted a formidable 212/8 in 20 overs, thanks to Sahibzada Farhan’s century (100 off 60 balls) and Fakhar Zaman’s 42-ball 84. However, they failed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or fewer.

As a result, the Salman Ali Agha-led side was unable to overtake New Zealand on Net Run Rate and were eliminated from the semifinal race.

After the game, skipper Agha delivered a candid assessment on Pakistan’s Super 8 exit, conceding that middle-order batting has been a persistent concern for the team over the past few years.

In a bold call, the Pakistan team management also left Babar Azam out of the playing XI for the Sri Lanka match.

“We couldn’t bat well throughout the tournament. If Farhan had more support, it would have been better. The middle order has been a problem for a few years now, and we’ll have to address that,” Agha said at the post-match presentation.

Farhan and Fakhar put on a 176-run partnership for the opening wicket in 15.5 overs against Sri Lanka. However, the rest of the batting line-up collapsed, mustering only 36 runs thereafter.

“Couldn’t finish the way we wanted to. We batted well for 18 overs, but the opposition bowled well in the last two. Even 160 would have been difficult to defend,” Agha added.

“It was always challenging after losing the toss because of the dew. It could have been a different story had we won the toss. Dew was definitely a factor. We couldn’t execute our plans. Usman Tariq had an off day — it happens.”

Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha’s future as T20I captain has come under the scanner after Pakistan’s lackluster show in the T20 World Cup.

According to a PTI report, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi was “unhappy” with the team’s performance and had decided to sack the 32-year-old from the leadership role. Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi are reportedly being considered as potential replacements.

The report also claimed that decisions will be taken regarding the future of several senior players, including Babar Azam.