Maaz Sadaqat's 96 seals T20I series win over Sri Lanka

Maaz Sadaqat smashed 96 and Imran Randhawa bowled a miserly spell as Pakistan thrashed Sri Lanka by 82 runs in the second T20 International in Rawalpindi to wrap up the three-match series with a game to spare.

Both players were in only their second T20I after making their debuts in Friday’s opening win, Dawn reported. The third and final match is on Tuesday.

Pakistan’s highest home total

After a slow powerplay of 46, captain Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz added 88 for the second wicket. Farhan, who survived a couple of chances, made 73 off 44 balls with four fours and five sixes before Dasun Shanaka removed him in the 15th over.

Maaz, dropped on 44, brought up his fifty off 29 balls and then took 22 runs off Maheesh Theekshana’s final over. He used scoops, reverse paddles and clean hits over the ropes, and fell on the last ball of the innings for 96 off 51 balls, with six fours and seven sixes, just short of a maiden T20I century.

Pakistan finished on 215-3, their highest T20I total on home soil.

Randhawa strangles the chase

• Salman Mirza, back from injury, removed Lahiru Udara in the first over
• Imran Randhawa dismissed Sineth Jayawardena, then took captain Kusal Mendis and Sahan Arachchige off successive balls, finishing with 3-11 from four overs
• Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub chipped in as Sri Lanka slid to 74-6
• Sri Lanka finished on 133-7, despite a 50-run stand between Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Theekshana

Maaz was named player of the match. It was Pakistan’s fifth successive T20I series win at home, the PCB said, and Farhan’s first series win as captain. Farhan praised his side’s improved six-hitting and attacking intent, while Sri Lanka’s Mendis admitted his batters needed to take more responsibility on a pitch made for stroke-play.

“A nice 360 batter”

Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop praised the 21-year-old on X. “We were happy to see the talent of Maaz Sadaqat in the CPL 2026 for the Jamaica Kingsmen. His good form continues for Pakistan, and we hope he has a long and successful career. He is a nice 360 batter,” he wrote, ARY News reported.

Maaz finished the Caribbean Premier League as its third-highest run-scorer, with 363 runs in seven matches at an average of 51.85, including two centuries.

Domestic matches moved from KP

Off the field, the PCB moved two President’s Trophy fixtures out of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because of the situation in the province. Ghani Glass against Kingsmen Academy moves from Peshawar’s Imran Khan Stadium to Sheikhupura, and SNGPL against OGDCL from Abbottabad to Lahore, both from October 14 to 17. State Bank of Pakistan lead the first-class table with 84 points.

Why it matters

Two debutants turning into match-winners within a week is the kind of start selectors hope for when they refresh a side. With the ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka next, Pakistan have momentum and new depth. Read our report on Farhan’s appointment as T20I captain.

This article draws on reporting by Dawn, ARY News and the PCB.