Pakistan End Tour on High with Four-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka in Final T20I

Pakistan women's team ended their tour of Sri Lanka with a morale-boosting four-wicket victory in the third and final T20I, successfully chasing down a target of 114 to avoid a series whitewash. Despite the defeat, Sri Lanka claimed the three-match series 2-1 after convincing wins in the opening two games.

A composed innings from Ayesha Zafar, who scored 39 off 31 balls, laid the foundation for Pakistan's successful chase. Her knock guided the visitors close to victory before she was dismissed while attempting an aggressive shot off Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu. By then, Pakistan needed only nine runs from 23 deliveries, and Tuba Hassan and Saira Jabeen completed the chase with 10 balls to spare. Tuba sealed the win in style with a crisp back-foot punch through the covers.

Unlike the first two matches, where batters dominated, the deciding contest was shaped by disciplined bowling on a slower surface. Pakistan's spin attack proved decisive, restricting Sri Lanka to 113 for 6 after the hosts had elected to bat.

Sri Lanka made a steady start, matching Pakistan's eventual powerplay score of 44, and appeared on course for a competitive total at 72 for 1 in the 12th over. Captain Chamari Athapaththu and Sanjana Kavindi had built a promising 36-run partnership before Pakistan turned the match around.

Spinner Momina Riasat produced the breakthrough by dismissing Kavindi, who was caught at extra cover, before removing Athapaththu just three deliveries later as the Sri Lankan skipper found the fielder at deep square leg. The double strike halted Sri Lanka's momentum and triggered a middle-order collapse.

Pakistan's spin unit maintained relentless pressure throughout the innings. Umm-e-Hani, Momina Riasat, Nashra Sandhu, Tuba Hassan and Ayesha Zafar shared all six wickets to fall, conceding only 47 runs between the sixth and 16th overs. Sri Lanka managed just 40 runs in the final eight overs, including only 22 in the death overs, finishing with a below-par total.

Pakistan carried that momentum into the chase, with Zafar leading the way through intelligent shot selection and calm batting on a challenging surface. Her match-winning effort earned her the Player of the Match award.

Speaking after the game, Zafar said the pitch conditions were different from what Pakistan had anticipated but praised her team's ability to adjust and execute their plans.

Although Pakistan finished the tour with a victory, Sri Lanka emerged as the series winners, taking the three-match T20I contest 2-1 after dominant batting performances in the first two encounters.