PALLEKELE: Sahibzada Farhan (100) and Fakhar Zaman (84) put on a record partnership of 176 runs for any wicket in T20 World Cup history to power Pakistan to a formidable 212/8 against a lowly Sri Lanka in a Super Eights clash here on Saturday.
Pakistan will have to restrict Sri Lanka under 147 to stand a chance of surpassing New Zealand on net run rate and make the semifinals, and the Salman Agha-led side will have to win by at least 64 runs.
While Pakistan openers came out all guns blazing in their bid to put a big score on board, Sri Lanka's lacklustre effort in the field for a large part of first innings played to their opponent's advantage.
Zaman, who fell for a 42-ball 84 in the 16th over after chopping one on to his stumps, was given two lifelines as he feasted on the Sri Lankan bowling attack that kept feeding the left-handed batter in his hitting zone.
Zaman hit an overall nine fours and four sixes to make a significant contribution to the top.
While he was on 15, a hit went through Maheesh Theekshana's hands for a boundary off Dasun Shanaka.
Zaman was lucky again on 46 as Sri Lanka chose against taking a DRS appeal for a caught behind, despite their wicketkeeper vehemently appealing for it after taking the catch.
It was Farhan (100 off 60 balls, 9x4s, 5x6s) who took the early initiative as Pakistan crossed the 50-run mark inside the fifth over, getting the momentum of scoring at least 10 runs per over which they maintained well.
The right-handed Farhan went past Indian superstar Virat Kohli's record of most runs (319) in a single edition of a T20 World Cup and also notched up his second ton of the tournament, against a bowling attack that kept missing its line and lengths under pressure.
Sri Lanka appeared to be lacking any plan or discipline against a batter who has been in form, and they repetitively kept feeding Farhan deliveries way outside the off or down the leg to score off easily.
Farhan too had luck on his side.
In a bizarre moment of play, on the final ball of the 15th over, Dunith Wellalage ran in hard from near the ropes at long-off, only to drop a catch and give the Pakistan opener first of his two lifelines.
But instead of throwing the ball back in, Wellalage began checking his finger and only realised a moment or two later that the ball was still in play.
Then, on the first ball of the 16th over, Janith Liyanage stepped on the toblerone at the boundary rope while taking a catch as Farhan emerged unscathed once again.
However, a flurry of wickets including Farhan's, who fell immediately after completing his ton, saw Pakistan missing out on some extra runs in the middle.
From 176/0 in the 16th over, Pakistan lost eight wickets for 36 runs in last four overs.