After a nail-biting finish, Sri Lanka has defeated Pakistan in the Super Four match to reach the final of the Asia Cup 2023.
Sri Lanka won the match on the last ball as it chased down 253 against the green shirts.
Mohammad Rizwan’s brilliant undefeated 73-ball 86 and Iftikhar Ahmed’s enterprising 40-ball 47 powered Pakistan to 252-7 against Sri Lanka in the Super Four match at R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday.
Matheesha Pathirana continued to trouble the batters and flummoxed Mohammad Haris (3 off 9) who remained clueless and deceived by the good-length ball.
Pathirana bagged the all-important wicket of Abdullah Shafique, who was looking brilliant and went on to score his maiden half-century in the ODIs. In his 69-ball 52, Shafique smashed three boundaries and two sixes.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was looking good for his 35-ball 29 before he was undone by dangerous Dunith Wellalage.
Mohammad Rizwan joined Abdullah Shafique.
Fakhar Zaman once again failed to show any resistance with the bat and was undone by Pramod Madushan on 11-ball 4.
SRI LANKA’S INNINGS
Kusal Perera (17 off 8), who was inducted into the Sri Lanka playing XI, turned out to be unlucky and was run out by Shadab Khan.
Pathum Nissanka, who was looking good for his 44-ball 29 was caught by Shadab Khan.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in the crucial Super Four match against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday.
Sri Lankan captain Dasan Shanaka said he would have opted to bowl first anyway because of the outfield conditions.
The match had been reduced by five overs, and the powerplay was nine overs. But due to another spell of rain, overs were further shortened. Pakistan had 42 overs to post a target against Sri Lanka.
