Rawalpindi: A rejuvenated Pakistan cricket team achieved a historic series-clinching victory against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on Sunday, setting a new record for the highest team score in men's T20Is on home soil with 215/3. This victory was anchored by young left-hander Maaz Sadaqat's impressive innings of 96, followed by a disciplined bowling performance that restricted Sri Lanka to 133/7.

According to International Cricket Council, this match marked Pakistan's second-highest score in men's T20Is overall, only surpassed by their 232/6 against England in Nottingham in 2021. The team also hit 13 sixes during the match, tying for their second-best performance in any individual men's T20I, just two short of their record 15 sixes against Ireland in Dublin in 2024.

The victory is a positive sign for the new-look Pakistan team under captain Sahibzada Farhan, who is leading a squad featuring emerging talents in the absence of seasoned players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan. Farhan contributed significantly with 73 runs, forming valuable partnerships with Fakhar Zaman and Sadaqat.

Sadaqat's performance was noteworthy as he cleared the boundary seven times and was only dismissed on the final ball of Pakistan's innings. This was his second consecutive half-century following a 50 in the series opener, demonstrating his form and confidence at the crease.

Sri Lanka's response was lackluster, with only four batters reaching double figures. Captain Kusal Mendis expressed disappointment with the batting performance, emphasizing the need for responsibility from his team on a batting-friendly pitch.

The series schedule saw Pakistan claim victories in all three T20Is held in Rawalpindi, marking a dominating series win over Sri Lanka.