Pakistan clinches T20 series with dominant 82-run victory over Sri Lanka

Pakistan put on a display of attacking batting and incisive bowling to defeat Sri Lanka by 82 runs on Sunday in Rawalpindi, claiming the series with one match remaining. The hosts posted 215 for 3, the second-highest T20 total in their history, built on the back of two aggressive half-centuries that proved too much for the visiting side to chase.

Young opener Maaz Sadaqat and captain Sahibzada Farhan capitalized on Sri Lankan fielding lapses to score rapid 96 and 73 respectively, setting the platform for a dominant performance. The pair's aggressive batting, coupled with Sri Lanka's fielding errors, proved the decisive factor as Pakistan moved into an unassailable position in the series.

Sri Lankan batsmen struggled against Pakistan's bowling attack, particularly young pacer Mohammad Imran, who delivered a standout performance on only his second T20 appearance. Imran claimed 3 for 11 from four unchanged overs as Sri Lanka limped to 133 for 7, unable to mount a credible challenge to the target.

The victory marks another setback for Sri Lanka, which has now lost three successive T20 series away from home. The island nation arrives in Pakistan following a 3-0 whitewash by England and a 2-1 series defeat in the West Indies. The two teams will contest the final T20 match on Tuesday before England joins them for an upcoming ODI tri-series beginning next Sunday.