Pallekele witnessed cricketing drama on Saturday as Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 campaign suffered a narrow 5-run defeat to Pakistan. But captain Dasun Shanaka turned defeat into personal triumph, becoming the leading six-hitter among T20 World Cup captains with 21 maximums, edging out Rohit Sharma’s 19.
Descending to the crease at No. 7, Shanaka’s unbeaten 76 from 31 deliveries featured a staggering 8 sixes – a new Sri Lankan record in T20 cricket, bettering Kusal Perera’s previous high. His onslaught included 2 boundaries, injecting life into a tense chase but falling just short of the 213 needed.
Pakistan’s innings was a tale of fireworks and fragility. Electing to bat first, they posted 212/8, thanks to openers Fakhar Zaman (84 off 42, 9×4, 4×6) and Sahibzada Farhan (100 off ?, 9×4, 5×6), who forged a 176-run partnership. Post that, wickets tumbled, with no middle-order resistance.
Dilshan Madushanka led Sri Lanka’s bowling with 3 scalps, Shanaka added 2, and Chameera 1. In reply, Pavan Rathnayake top-scored with 58 off 37, but Abrar Ahmed’s 3 wickets and efforts from Shaheen, Naseem, and Nawaz restricted Sri Lanka to 207/6.
This record vaults Shanaka ahead of legends like Gayle and Buttler (17 each) and Dhoni (16). Despite the loss, Shanaka’s captaincy in the face of pressure reaffirms his status as a big-stage performer. Sri Lanka must regroup, but this knock signals their captain’s unyielding spirit.