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Pakistan and Sri Lanka locked horns in the fifth Super 4 game in Asia Cup 2023 at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Thursday, September 15. After rain delayed the start of the match, the game was reduced to 45-over per side as the Pakistan captain won the toss and elected to bat first. However, they didn’t get off to a great start as opener Fakhar Zaman (4 off 11) lost his stumps against Pramod Madushan in the fifth over.
After the early blow, Babar Azam (29 off 35) and Abdullah Shafique (52 off 69) stabilized the innings with their 64-run stand. However, their partnership was broken by Dunith Wellalage who got Babar out stumped in the 16th over leaving Pakistan on 73/2. The Babar Azm-led side lost their way in the middle and was left reeling at 130/5 after 27.4 overs when rain interrupted again and the game was reduced to 42 overs per side.
After the play resumed, Mohammad Rizwan (86* off 73) and Iftikhar Ahmed got involved in a massive 108-run stand off 78 balls to bail their team out of trouble. Courtesy of their massive partnership, Pakistan posted a good total of 252/7 in their allotted 42 overs. Matheesha Pathirana finished as the pick of the bowlers as he registered figures of 3/65 in eight overs.
In reply, Sri Lanka lost their opener Kusal Perera (17 off 8) early in the innings due to an unfortunate runout. However, Pathum Nissanka (29 off 44) and Kusal Mendis stabilized the innings with their 67-run stand. The partnership was broken by Shadab Khan, who dismissed Nissanka in the 14th over to leave Sri Lanka on 77/2.
Iftikhar Ahmed’s 3-fer brought Pakistan back in the game
However, Mendis (91 off 87) continued his brilliant knock and found a good partner in Sadeera Samarawickrama (48 off 41) with the duo adding 100 runs for the third wicket off 98 balls. Following their massive stand, Pakistan made a comeback and got four wickets to leave Sr Lanka on 243/7.
With eight runs needed off the last over, there was more drama to follow as the equation came down to six needed from two balls. However, Charith Asalanka (49* off 47) held his nerve to guide Sri Lanka to a thrilling two-wicket victory on the final ball of the innings and sealed their place in the final of the tournament. Iftikhar Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with his spell of 3/50 in eight overs.
Meanwhile, X was buzzing with reactions on Sri Lanka’s victory. Here are some of the posts:
Congratulations Sri Lanka . What a thrilling match ! #PakvSL
Hats off to Zaman Khan – really impressed with his confidence & nerves at such a crucial time.
If we played with the same intensity as the last 5 overs – it would have been a different result. But a good fight at…
— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) September 14, 2023
Great game of cricket congratulations to SRI LANKA 🇱🇰 .Hard luck to Pakistan.
— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) September 14, 2023
What an exceptional Game of Cricket !! ODI cricket at its absolute Best! Congratulations Sri Lanka 🇱🇰👏🏼 Zaman khan tried his best wonderful piece of bowling 👏🏼Hard Luck Pakistan 🇵🇰 #AsiaCup #PAKvsSL
— Saeed Ajmal (@REALsaeedajmal) September 14, 2023
Congratulations to @OfficialSLC for making it into yet another Asia Cup final. For my team, you win some, you learn from some; time to regroup & learn from this. World cup is around the corner & we have to prove ourselves. Chin up guys, you are us, & we are you! #PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/Qv1rCmV3pm
— Rumman Raees (@rummanraees15) September 14, 2023
slow ball 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️ batsmen just looking to bat on ball.anyways it was a great game of crckt,game of nerves in the end ..both team played excellent crckt #AsiaCup2023
— Sohail Tanveer (@sohailmalik614) September 14, 2023
What a contest #AsiaCup2023 Happy for Charith Asalanka man. Congrats to Sri Lanka on getting to the Asia Cup final again👏🏻👏🏻. Continue trending in the right direction.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) September 14, 2023
UNBELIEVABLE #PAKvsSL #AsiaCup
— Saeed Ajmal (@REALsaeedajmal) September 14, 2023
Whatever the outcome of this game, that crowd at the R Premadasa in Colombo is worth tuning in to hear them . #AsiaCup23
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) September 14, 2023
Fabulous innings of 86* from @iMRizwanPak full of grit,technic & fitness. Typical Rizwan innings 😍👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 #AsiaCup2023 #PAKvsSL pic.twitter.com/9uZMK6nHko
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) September 14, 2023
Batting job done, and that too with excellence. Credits to @iMRizwanPak, @imabd28 and @IftiMania. Last few overs were capitalised the way they should’ve been 👍🏼 Time for the bowlers to show their magic now. Let’s win this boys, In Shaa Allah 🇵🇰#PAKvSL #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/6HNR1HjEd7
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) September 14, 2023
Shouldn’t Zaman Khan have been alert to the possibility of a run-out ar the bowler’s end? Pathirana was outside the crease.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 14, 2023
Once again, no India-Pakistan final in the Asia Cup. This is such a talented Sri Lankan batting side.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 14, 2023
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