COLOMBO – Sri Lanka sealed an exciting last-ball win over Pakistan in Colombo on Thursday to arrange a title match with India within the Asia Cup 2023.
Chasing 252 off 42 overs in a rain-curtailed match, Sri Lanka have been coasting to their goal at 210-Three in 35 overs. However a combatagain from Pakistan, triggered by part-time spinner Iftikhar Ahmed (3-50 after scoring 47) arrange a tense end. Shaheen Afridi bowled a sensational penultimate over with 12 wanted from 12, first getting Dhanajaya de Silva and final match’s hero Dunith Wellalage first ball.
Quick bowler Zaman Khan, who got here in as a late alternative, had eight to defend from the final over. He gave away simply two runs from the primary 4 balls. However Charith Asalanka (49 not out) received a boundary off an edge to carry the equation down to 2 wanted off one, which was accomplished with a easy nudge to sq. leg for a two-wicket victory and a spot in Sunday’s closing.
The digital semi-final on the R Premadasa Stadium lived as much as the hype as Sri Lanka and Pakistan fought tooth and nail. Sri Lanka have been constructive from the beginning of the chase, aided by the mid match heavy bathe that freshened up the pitch and made the spinners much less efficient, compared to the beginning of the match.
Pakistan, with out tempo spearhead Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, lacked sting with the brand new ball. Afridi seemed down on tempo, which allowed Sri Lankan’s prime order to attain with relative ease. Even the primary wicket fell to a run out, Kusal Perera looking for a fast single. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan eliminated Pathum Nissanka however center order batsmen Kusal Mendis (91) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (48) went on the offensive.
The partnership had reached precisely 100 when part-time spinner Ahmed had Samarawickrama stumped. From there, Sri Lanka misplaced their manner however held on proper on the finish.
Earlier, Mohammad Rizwan hit an unbeaten 86 to steer Pakistan to 252-7. Sri Lanka’s bowlers took common early wickets to test Pakistan’s scoring, however Rizwan hit again together with his 12th ODI half-century and a 108-run stand with Ahmed, who made 47, to present his workforce a difficult whole.
Quick bowler Pramod Madushan struck first as he bowled Fakhar Zaman for 4 with a pin-point yorker. Abdullah Shafique (52) and skipper Babar Azam (29) then rebuilt the innings of their stand of 63 regardless of surviving just a few shut calls together with an lbw assessment off Wellalage.
Azam appeared to be entering into his groove with just a few boundaries however was stumped off Wellalage, a left-arm spinner who was Sri Lanka’s star of their earlier loss to India with 5-40. Shafique stood robust and hit two sixes en path to his maiden ODI fifty however quickly fell to quick bowler Matheesha Pathirana, who shortly struck once more.
Pakistan returned from a rain break on 130-5 with Rizwan digging deep and he received support from Ahmed, who took his time to get his rhythm and hit two sixes in his 40-ball knock. The workforce in inexperienced had an inauspicious begin to the day as they have been pressured to make two extra modifications to the facet after making 5 on Wednesday.