Final result
Pakistan Cricket won by 6 wickets
Player of the match: Shadab Khan
Result · T20 Internationals
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Cricket
Result · T20 Internationals
Venue par · 209Chase success · 58%POTM · Shadab Khan
Match preview & overview
Pakistan cruise to a 6-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Dambulla
Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in a T20 international at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on 7 January 2026. Sri Lanka Cricket, batting first after losing the toss, were bowled out for 128. Pakistan Cricket overhauled the target with 4 wickets in hand, racing to 59/1 inside the powerplay to take the game away from the hosts early in the chase. Shadab Khan took the Player of the Match award. The result extends Pakistan's overall head-to-head lead to 62 wins from 117 meetings, against Sri Lanka's 44.
The Rangiri Dambulla pitch has averaged 208 in the first innings across 62 T20 matches. Sri Lanka fell 80 runs short of that mark and the deficit was compounded by a chaotic death phase: 5 wickets tumbled for just 22 runs in the final overs. Their powerplay was reasonable at 35/2, and the middle phase added 71 runs for 3 wickets, but momentum drained away precisely when it needed to build. A target of 129 was always going to ask very little of Pakistan's batters on a ground with a 56% chase success rate.
Pitch report & venue insights
National Stadium — 74-match sample
Aggregate conditions from 2004–2023. Numbers that tend to decide matches at this ground — par score, chase success, powerplay averages and toss bias.
74
T20 matches hosted
209
Avg 1st-innings score
181
Avg 2nd-innings score
58%
Chase success rate
45
Avg powerplay runs
58%
Toss-field rate
Key talking points
Moments the match hinged on
Headline angle
Sri Lanka bowled out for 128. Well below venue par
The Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium averages 208 in the first innings across 62 T20 matches. Sri Lanka's 128 all out fell 80 runs short of that benchmark. Their death overs were particularly damaging: 5 wickets fell for just 22 runs in the final phase.
Angle 02
Pakistan's powerplay set up the chase
Angle 03
Shadab Khan named Player of the Match
Angle 04
Pakistan hold a strong head-to-head edge
Angle 05
Toss proved decisive at a venue with a 50% field rate
Betting & analytical angles
Angles the data surfaced
- With Pakistan regularly outperforming in the powerplay against Sri Lanka's pace attack, top-batter and powerplay performance markets may offer more context than outright result lines at a ground with an established chase bias.
- Sri Lanka's death-overs collapse. 5 wickets for 22 runs. Reflects a pattern that markets tracking team totals at Dambulla may price differently given the venue's high average first-innings score of 208.
- Player performance markets around all-rounders like Shadab Khan could be worth monitoring in T20Is between these sides, given how often the decisive contributions have come from players who contribute with both bat and ball.
- The 56% chase success rate at Rangiri Dambulla is one of the higher rates on the Sri Lankan circuit. Toss-related markets in future fixtures here may reflect that structural advantage for the team batting second.
For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.
Frequently asked
Questions about Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Cricket
Who won the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan T20I on 7 January 2026?
Pakistan won by 6 wickets. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 128 and Pakistan reached the target for the loss of 4 wickets. Shadab Khan was named Player of the Match.
What is the head-to-head record between Sri Lanka and Pakistan?
Across 117 matches, Pakistan have won 62 times and Sri Lanka 44, with 11 no-results. Pakistan won three of the last five meetings between the two sides heading into this fixture.
Where to watch Sri Lanka vs Pakistan T20I in the UK?
T20 international cricket between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is typically available in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket. Subscribers can also stream via Sky Go or NOW TV with a day pass.
Who was Player of the Match in the Dambulla T20I?
Shadab Khan was named Player of the Match. Pakistan won the toss, chose to bowl, and Shadab's contribution across the innings was central to their 6-wicket victory.
What is Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium's average T20 score?
Across 62 T20 matches at the ground, the average first-innings score is 208 and the average second-innings score is 178. Sri Lanka's 128 all out was well below the first-innings par, which made Pakistan's chase straightforward.
What was Sri Lanka's recent form going into this match?
Sri Lanka's last five results included two wins and three losses. Both wins came against Pakistan and Zimbabwe in 2025, but they had also lost to Pakistan twice and to Zimbabwe once in the same period, showing inconsistency heading into the Dambulla fixture.
Photo credits (3)
- Lasith Malinga — photo by paddynapper, CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
- Thisara Perera — photo by Amal316, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Mahela Jayawardene — photo by Hashir Milhan from Colombo, Sri Lanka, CC BY 2.0 · source