Overview:
Ramiz Raja lauded Shanaka’s reaction, calling him a modern-day Nelson Mandela. Raja later took to social media, tagging Shanaka in a post to publicly acknowledge his sportsmanship.
Dasun Shanaka came within touching distance of pulling off a remarkable victory for Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 fixture of the 2026 T20 World Cup against Pakistan. Leading from the front, the Sri Lankan captain smashed a quick-fire fifty and turned the contest on its head in the last over.
Chasing a stiff target, Sri Lanka needed 28 from the final six balls bowled by Shaheen Afridi. Shanaka responded in dramatic fashion, first finding the boundary and then clearing the ropes three times in succession to bring the equation down rapidly.
With six required from the last two deliveries, Shanaka shuffled across and attempted a reverse scoop. Afridi adjusted cleverly, angling the ball wider outside off stump. Shanaka failed to make contact and looked toward the umpire, seemingly expecting a wide. However, because he had moved significantly across the crease, the delivery was judged legal.
Afridi stuck to the same plan on the final ball, sending it outside off once again. Shanaka missed, and Pakistan registered a narrow five-run victory. The calls sparked discussion among commentators, who debated whether delivery could have been called a wide.
Despite the heartbreak, Shanaka showed admirable composure. He offered no visible protest and congratulated Afridi as Pakistan closed out their World Cup campaign with a win.
Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja lauded Shanaka’s reaction, calling him a modern-day Nelson Mandela. Raja later took to social media, tagging Shanaka in a post to publicly acknowledge his 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. He had 22 at the time for a 27-run last-over target to win,” Raja wrote.
“Any other batsman would have left the crease, cribbing and protesting. Shanaka took it in stride and allowed peace to prevail. A modern-day Mandela of sportsmanship,” he added.
Sri Lanka’s tournament, however, ended on a disappointing note. They finished the Super 8 stage without a win.