When Shanaka's late blitz revived hope in a lost cause

With Dasun Shanaka, it is less about being in the spotlight and more about efficiency in his middle-order role, whether finishing an innings or a match. Since his return to Sri Lanka's T20I setup and captaincy in 2025, that brief has only become more clearly defined.

In this World Cup, the signs had already been there: a punchy 50 off 20 against Oman, a measured 30 off 24 against England, and a handful of smaller cameos that reflected his now-familiar brief at No. 5 to 7.

That pattern carried into Pallekele, even if Sri Lanka were already out of semifinal contention. Pakistan, meanwhile, were playing for a mathematical lifeline: they needed a win by 65 runs or more to sneak through. When Shanaka walked in at 101 for 5 after 12 overs in a chase of 213, the match felt more procedural than dramatic.

After a watchful start, the shift for Shanaka arrived in the 14th over, when a short ball was pulled over deep midwicket. Equally important was the sixth-wicket stand, worth 61 off 33 with Pavan Rathnayake. Rathnayake kept the board ticking, while Shanaka supplied the power surges.

By the time Shanaka brought up his fifty in the 19th over, Sri Lanka were sensing a flicker. They needed 28 off the last over. Shanaka began with a sliced four past backward point, and what followed electrified the ground. A half-volley disappeared over sweeper cover, a short ball was heaved over deep square-leg, and another loft over the off side completed a hat-trick of sixes.

Shanaka finished unbeaten on 76 off 31, an innings that featured eight sixes and almost dragged Sri Lanka improbably close. Pakistan closed the game out in the final moments, although the result carried little consequence for either side's campaign. But for a few moments, the chase had life and the Sri Lankan fans found their voice.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha acknowledged the disruption Shanaka caused. "You got to give credit to Dasun the way he batted. (Pavan) Ratnayake as well. I think they both batted brilliantly."

Sri Lanka head coach Sanath Jayasuriya praised Shanaka's innings. "Dasun Shanaka played a brilliant innings under pressure as a captain. Today it was outstanding cricket. We would have won that game but just missed out."

For Shanaka, on the losing side for the fourth successive time, the near-miss still lingered. "It was a close game, you know, where I could have finished it. But yeah, unfortunate," said Shanaka, who apologised to the fans for Sri Lanka not making the semifinals, and spoke about how injuries played a big part.

"See, it's been a tough campaign for us. Yes, we had few injuries. Yes, we disappointed the crowd. I want to say sorry for all these fans."

The innings underlined Shanaka's real utility. He has increasingly become Sri Lanka's damage controller in the lower middle order, stepping in when the innings threatens to stall and forcing momentum back into it.