In a batting lineup obsessed with “stability” and “anchoring”, Sahibzada Farhan just showed Pakistan what modern T20 cricket actually looks like, especially during a World Cup.
Against a disciplined USA bowling attack in Colombo, Farhan didn’t just score runs… he dictated the game. His 73 off 41 balls was the difference between a match-winning total and a competitive struggle. While the big names took their time to settle, Farhan walked out with a simple mindset of attacking from ball one.
The Powerplay Blitz
From the moment he marked his guard, Farhan looked like he was batting on a different pitch than his partner, Saim Ayub.
He didn’t wait for “loose balls”. He created them. By the end of the 4th over, Pakistan had raced to 38, and Farhan was already batting on 34 off 14. He was striking at 240+ while the rest of the top order was still figuring out the pace of the wicket. This early aggression killed any hope the USA had of settling into a rhythm.
Carrying the “King” in a T20 World Cup
The true value of Farhan’s innings became clear when Babar Azam walked in.
As “King” struggled to find his timing (scoring just 6 runs off his first 9 balls), the run rate threatened to nosedive. Usually, this is where Pakistan panics. But Farhan refused to let the pressure build.
Sahibzada Farhan was effectively the antidote to dot balls. Every time Babar played a dot, Farhan responded with a boundary. When Mohammad Mohsin tried to tighten the screws in the middle overs, Farhan sat on one knee and slogged him over deep mid-wicket for a nonchalant six.
He reached his maiden T20 World Cup fifty in just 27 balls. It wasn’t a nervous crawl to a milestone… it was a sprint.
The Lone Warrior
Farhan’s dismissal in the 16th over, a tired lofted shot to long-off against Harmeet Singh, effectively ended Pakistan’s dominance.
Consider the stats:
- Farhan: 73 runs off 41 balls (SR 178.0).
- The Rest of the Top 5: Struggled to cross a strike rate of 140 until Shadab‘s late cameo.
Without Farhan’s 73, Pakistan doesn’t reach190. They likely scrape to 160, and we are having a very different conversation right now. He didn’t just play a good innings… he covered up the cracks of a batting order that is still too afraid to take risks.
Our T20 World Cup Analysis
Sahibzada Farhan is no longer a “prospect”. Today, he was the engine of the Pakistan team. With this knock, he rockets to the #2 spot on the T20 World Cup 2026 run-scoring charts, amassing 120 runs in just two matches.
While the rest of the lineup is still searching for form, Farhan has already found his, and he’s dragging Pakistan along with him. If the management is smart, they will stop asking him to “play sensible” and let him keep playing dangerous.
