Fakhar Zaman Shines as Pakistan Clinches Thrilling ODI Final Against Sri Lanka

In a thrilling ODI tri-nation series final, Pakistan emerged victorious against Sri Lanka, thanks to Fakhar Zaman's stunning century. The match set several records, including the highest aggregate runs in an ODI final. Fakhar's performance not only secured the win but also highlighted his remarkable achievements in ODI cricket. With a successful chase of 326 runs, Pakistan showcased their batting prowess, while Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis also made headlines with his maiden ODI century. This match will be remembered for its statistical significance and the exciting display of cricket.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 1, 2026, 11:18 IST

Historic Final at Gaddafi Stadium

Lahore, November 1: The final of the tri-nation series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Lahore was not only a thrilling encounter but also a showcase of remarkable statistics, highlighted by Fakhar Zaman's century and Pakistan's successful chase of 326 runs.

Fakhar once again proved his mettle in crucial matches, scoring an impressive 127 runs off 99 balls, leading his team to victory with three wickets and nine balls remaining at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The target of 326 runs marks the joint-highest successfully chased in an ODI tournament final, matching India's famous chase of 326 against England in the 2002 NatWest tri-series final.

The match saw a total of 656 runs scored, setting a new record for the highest aggregate in an ODI final, surpassing the previous record of 651 runs from the 2002 final between England and India, according to Cricinfo.

This century is Fakhar's second in three ODI finals, including a previous one against India in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. He joins the legendary Saeed Anwar as the only Pakistani batsman to score multiple centuries in ODI finals. Across three finals, Fakhar has accumulated 251 runs at an average of 83.66 and a strike rate of 114.09, while Anwar scored 914 runs in 29 finals at an average of 31.51.

Fakhar has also set a record for the most centuries by a Pakistani batsman in chases of 300 runs or more, with four centuries, surpassing Babar Azam and Younis Khan, who each have three.

He reached the milestone of 4,000 ODI runs in just 96 innings, making him the second-fastest Pakistani to achieve this feat after Babar, who did it in 82 innings. In 97 ODIs, Fakhar has scored 4,019 runs at an average of 44.65, including 12 centuries and 19 fifties, with a top score of 210*.

On the Sri Lankan side, Kamindu Mendis made a notable contribution with his maiden ODI century, scoring 131 runs, which ranks as the third-highest score for Sri Lanka in an ODI final, following Sanath Jayasuriya's 189 and Marvan Attapatu's 132*.

Pavan Rathnayake also had a standout series, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 427 runs at an average of 106.75, including two centuries and two fifties, marking the third-best tally by a Sri Lankan in a tri-nation tournament.

In the match, Pakistan chose to bowl first. Sri Lanka began with a solid 87-run partnership between Avishka Fernando (38 off 49 balls) and Kamindu. Kamindu's 146-run partnership with Pavan (77 off 65 balls) helped Sri Lanka post 325/8 in their 50 overs, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Salman Agha each taking two wickets.

During Pakistan's chase, they faced early trouble at 14/2. However, Fakhar and Saad Baig (74 off 75 balls) formed a crucial 149-run partnership. After Fakhar's dismissal, Hasan Nawaz (37* off 45 balls) and Arafat Minhas (61 off 31 balls) led Pakistan to a memorable victory.