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Pakistan and Sri Lanka are battling it out in a crucial Super Four stage fixture in the Asia Cup 2023, with the winner getting a pass into the finals versus India. The game is taking place at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Due to incessant rain, the players had to wait for quite sometime before the match. The match was eventually reduced to a 45-over-per-side affair.
However, in the 28th over, another rain interruption caused more damage as the match has now been reduced to 42 overs per-side. Three bowlers will be able to bowl eight overs, while two can bowl up to nine overs. Pakistan were struggling at 130/5 at the rain break. Their final score after 42 overs will be adjusted according to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
After the resumption, the pitch seemed to quicken up a tad, and the amount of spin was also comparatively lesser. Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed showed their class and formed a fantastic partnership of 108 off 78 balls to take Pakistan to a very good total of 252/7 in their 42 overs. The score Sri Lanka would be chasing is 252.
Also check: Asia Cup 2023 top run-getters
Rizwan was the star of the show for the Men in Green as he finished with a phenomenal knock of 86* off 73 balls. Iftikhar also showed his experience during his innings of 47 off 40 balls. Prior to their partnership, Abdullah Shafique, who wasn’t initially named in the playing XI, scored a solid half-century. Matheesha Pathirana starred with the ball for the home side as he finished with figures of 3/65 in eight overs.
Sri Lanka will fancy their chances as the pitch has gotten better after the rain break. They will also have the advantage of batting according to the DLS target in case there is more rain. However, countering Shaheen Afridi’s burst with the new ball will be crucial for the likes of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera.
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