Sri Lanka’s campaign in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup may have ended in disappointment, but captain Dasun Shanaka produced a moment of brilliance that nearly turned the game on its head against the Pakistan national cricket team in their final Super 8 clash. In a thrilling finish, Shanaka played a breathtaking innings that brought Sri Lanka within touching distance of an improbable victory.

Chasing a daunting total, Sri Lanka’s hopes were fading until Shanaka launched a sensational counterattack. With 28 runs required from the final over bowled by Shaheen Afridi, the Sri Lankan skipper ignited belief with a stunning sequence of shots. He began the over with a boundary before smashing three consecutive sixes, dramatically shifting the momentum and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Suddenly, Sri Lanka needed just six runs from the last two deliveries. Shanaka attempted an audacious reverse scoop, moving across the stumps in anticipation of a wide delivery. Afridi, however, kept his composure and delivered the ball outside the off stump. Shanaka missed the shot and hoped it would be called a wide, but the umpire ruled it a fair delivery since the batter had moved across.

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The final ball followed a similar pattern. Afridi again bowled outside off stump, and Shanaka failed to connect, sealing a narrow five-run win for Pakistan. The decision sparked debate among broadcasters and commentators, with some suggesting the delivery could have been considered wide.

Despite the heartbreak of falling short, Shanaka’s reaction earned widespread praise. Rather than protesting the decision, he calmly accepted the outcome and shook hands with Afridi, displaying remarkable composure in a tense moment. Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja was particularly impressed with Shanaka’s conduct. Taking to social media, Raja applauded the Sri Lankan skipper’s sportsmanship.

“A huge shout out to Dasun Shanaka for not retaliating at a wide-angled last ball from Shaheen that we all upstairs in the comm box read as a wide,” Ramiz Raja wrote.

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He went a step further, comparing Shanaka’s calmness to that of Nelson Mandela, praising him for allowing “peace to prevail” in a high-pressure situation. Sri Lanka eventually ended their Super 8 campaign without a win. Soon after the exit, head coach Sanath Jayasuriya confirmed he would step down from his role, marking the end of a difficult World Cup journey for the island nation.