Sri Lanka secured a place in the Asia Cup final with an exhilarating victory over Pakistan in a closely contested match. Pakistan’s bowling performance faltered after their crucial batting effort against Sri Lanka. The Pakistani bowlers struggled to claim early wickets, allowing Sri Lanka to establish a strong hold on the match from the outset. Sri Lanka successfully chased down Pakistan’s target of 252 runs on the last ball, losing 8 wickets in the process. Key contributions came from Kaushal Mendes with 91 runs, Charith Asalanka with 49 runs, and Sudira Samravakarma with 48 runs.
In the final over, Sri Lanka needed 8 runs to win with only seven wickets remaining. Zaman Khan bowled brilliantly, conceding only two runs in the first three balls and taking a wicket in the fourth. However, Asalinka managed to hit a boundary on the fifth ball, securing a thrilling two-run victory for his team.
Pakistan batted first and posted a total of 252 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 42 overs. Due to rain delays, both innings were limited to 45 overs, and then further reduced to 42 overs during Pakistan’s innings according to the Duckworth-Lewis method.
In Sri Lanka’s innings, the first wicket fell at 20 when Kusal Perera was run out for 17 runs. This was followed by a 57-run partnership between Kaushal Mendes and Patham Nissanka. Sri Lanka’s second wicket fell at 77 when Patham Nissanka was dismissed for 29 runs.
Kaushal Mendes and Sudira Samravakarma then built a crucial 100-run partnership for the third wicket. Samravakarma was dismissed for 48 runs at a total score of 177 in 29.4 overs. Kaushal Mendes departed after scoring 91 runs at a total score of 210, leading to a rapid collapse of Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.
For Pakistan, Iftikhar Ahmed claimed 3 wickets, Shaheen Afridi took 2 wickets, and Shadab Khan took one wicket.
Pakistan’s innings didn’t start well, with Abdullah Shafiq and Fakhar Zaman struggling against the Sri Lankan bowlers. Fakhar Zaman was clean bowled by Pramod Madhushan for just 8 runs. A partnership of over 50 runs between Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafiq was established, but the second wicket fell at a total of 73, with Babar Azam scoring 29 runs.
Abdullah Shafiq also departed after scoring 52 runs at a total of 100 runs. Mohammad Haris was caught out for 3 runs, and Pakistan’s fourth wicket fell at 108. Rain interrupted the match at this point.
Iftikhar Ahmed scored 47 runs, and Shadab Khan contributed only three runs. Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten with 86 runs, while Shaheen Afridi scored 1 run.
For Sri Lanka, Mathisha Pathirana took 3 wickets, Pramod Madhushan claimed 2 wickets, and Mahesh Tekshana and Donath Valalaj took one wicket each.
In the match, Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, won the toss and chose to bat first. Azam noted two changes in the team lineup, with Imam-ul-Haq sidelined due to back pain and Saud Shakeel not included in the playing XI due to fever.
Sri Lankan captain Dasan Shanaka mentioned that his team aimed to minimize Pakistan’s target by taking early wickets in the batting lineup. He also revealed two changes in the Sri Lankan squad, with Kaushal Perera and Pramod Madhushan joining the team.
Rain delays affected the match’s duration, with both teams playing reduced overs according to the umpires’ decisions.
Additionally, if the match against Sri Lanka were to be affected by rain or if Sri Lanka emerged victorious, they would secure a spot in the final, bringing an end to Pakistan’s journey in the tournament.
The winner of the match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka would face India in the final on September 17.
Pakistan Squad: Captain Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafiq, Muhammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Wasim Jr., Shaheen Afridi, and Zaman Khan.
Sri Lanka Squad: Captain Dasan Shanaka, Patham Nissanka, Kaushal Perera, Kaushal Mendis, Siddira Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Donath Velalje, Mahesh Thieksana, Mathisha Pathirana, Pramod Madhushan.
