Misbah and Fawad tried to rebuild the innings taking Pakistan past 50 runs in the 18th over which is slowest for them in the tournament.
Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga rattled the Pakistani innings as he struck in his successive overs to dismiss Sharjeel Khan and Ahmed Shehzad cheaply.
Malinga produced wickets in his first three overs as Pakistan suffered another big blow in the form of Mohammad Hafeez.
Malinga, who clinched a five-wicket haul against Pakistan in the tournament's opener, fired again to leave the defending champions stuttering at 18/3 in 4.3 overs.
Sharjeel started off Pakistan innings with a boundary and hammered another one before being removed on the last delivery of the first over after skipper Misbah-ul-Haq decided to bat first.
Pakistan had fitness worries over Shahid Afridi and Ahmed Shehzad but both passed fitness test ahead of the match.
Sharjeel Khan and Junaid Khan have returned to the Pakistan team, replacing Sohaib Maqsood and Abdur Rehman.
Sri Lanka have surprisingly omitted mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis and brought back Lasith Malinga, who was rested against Bangladesh.
Defending champions Pakistan bounced back after the loss against Sri Lanka to qualify for the final with three successive victories against Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh.
The mercurial Afridi fashioned two tense last-over wins, slamming an 18-ball 34 against India before making an astonishing 59 off 25 balls against Bangladesh.
Sri Lankan, on the other hand, are yet to lose a match in the mega event of the sub-continent and they would hope that their campaign culminates with the title.
Sri Lanka would look to do the things quietly with all the buzz surrounding Afridi.
Teams:
Pakistan: Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Misbah-ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Mohammad Talha, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Ashan Priyanjan, Angelo Mathews, Chathuranga de Silva, Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga
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