Sri Lanka vs Pakistan ( SL vs PAK ) Asia Cup Final Highlights: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 23 runs in the Asia Cup final on Sunday. Sri Lanka posted 170/6 after being put in to bat. Bhanuka Rajapaksa top-scored for Sri Lanka with 71 not out 45 off balls. Haris Rauf was the standout bowler for Pakistan with three wickets. In response, Pakistan could only manage 147 all out in 20 overs.
Babar Azam: Congratulations to Sri Lanka for playing outstanding cricket. We dominated them for the first eight overs, but the partnership that Rajapaska got was amazing. This was a true wicket and it is always nice playing in Dubai. We didn’t bat according to our potential. We started well, but we gave away 15-20 extra runs and couldn’t finish well. A lot of positives for us to take. In a final, the margin for mistakes is lesser. Our fielding wasn’t up to the mark and the batting couldn’t finish it off well. But Rizwan, Naseem and Nawaz were positives. Ups and downs will be there, but it would be nicer if we made lesser mistakes.
Wanindu Hasaranga: When I went out to bat at 60/5, Bhanuka and me planned to get to 150, which was a good total. I told him that I would play my role and play my shots. In the first few overs, the ball swung, but when I batted, the wicket was really good. I love to bowl in the subcontinent. I look to bowl at the stumps in these conditions and that is why I am successful. I try to bowl tight and bowl dot balls. Our boys did a great job throughout the tournament especially after our loss against Afghanistan.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa: It was not easy out there. Pakistan were bowling well. When Wanindu came in, we got a plan. We wanted to be positive all through. When Iftikhar was bowling, Wanindu said that he would attack him. But thankfully both of us went har. I had to change my game because Pakistanis were on top. We wanted to spend some time in the crease and that helped in getting 170. When Chris (Silverwood) came out to talk to us after the 10th over, I told him that 140 was a good score. But we stayed till the end and the target was much different. The last ball six and the last over helped us with the momentum and this is a game of momentum.
Mohammad Rizwan: They played like tru champions, they deserve the win. They put us under pressure at key moments and won the match despite losing the toss. We committed mistakes and Sri Lanka took advantage of that. They took the momentum away from us towards the end in both the innings.
Mendis: Very very happy to get the runs. Me and Pathum got partnerships in last two matches. Were two-three wickets down. Very good partnership in the middle order.
Chamika Karunaratne: We are winning after 7 years, we are a different team. Full of youngsters, feeling very good. We were just going to fight and give it our best. The players were pushing their limits. Everyone tried their best after the loss in the first match (against Afghanistan).
This is the first time that Sri Lanka have won five consecutive T20Is since April 2014, the last such sequence included matches from their title-winning World Cup campaign in Bangladesh in 2014.
Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka will have to play against Namibia, Ireland and the Netherlands to qualify for the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup in Australia this year.
It’s over for Pakistan, Sri Lanka are the winner of Asia Cup 2022. What a champion team!! Despite having an ordinary start, they end up winning the tournament. Right amidst a crisis, winning this tournament is a big thing for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka 𝐖𝐈𝐍 the #AsiaCup2022 🏆
Scorecard: https://t.co/xA1vz7cSW0 pic.twitter.com/IL3DaXmwIs
Pramod Madushan scalps the wicket of Naseem Shah. Haris Rauf hits a boundary here. Mohammad Hasnain ends the over with a huge six. PAK 139/9 in 19 overs
M Theekshana picks the wicket of Shadab Khan and an easy catch by Gunathilaka does the rest. It’s almost over for Pakistan now. PAK 120/8 in 18 overs
W 1 W 1 W 0 | Terrific over from Wanindu Hasaranga, who snares Khushdil and makes it three wickets in the over. Hasaranga sends Khushdil back to the pavillion for just 2 runs. Pakistan are falling apart here. PAK 112/7 in 17 overs
What a fight back from Sri Lanka. Three wickets in the over for Wanindu Hasaranga. Pakistan are in big trouble left needing a miracle #AsiaCup2022Final #SLvPAK #PAKvsSL pic.twitter.com/86zkPoOnBD
Asif Ali – the danger man is gone! Hasaranga strikes again!!!! This time rattles the stumps of Asif Ali for a duck.
Asif Ali vs Hasaranga in all T20s:
5 inngs
11 balls
6 runs
4 dismissals
Rizwan brings up his 50 with a monstrous strike. But then falls in the next over. Hasaranga leaps in delight. Pakistan have lost half their side. Is this the game now for SL?
‘Everyone talks about the strike Rate in the T20 arena. How about Rizwan’s strike rate? Run a ball in the final? I know they were 2 wickets down, he had to rebuild but that is unacceptable when the team needs 170. His career strike rate is 126,’ points out Asif on social media.
Pramod Madushan is the catcher this time ! You can’t keep him out of the game tonight. Sri Lanka are tightening the noose here. That was a cutter from Karunaratne which gets the better of the batter tonight. PAK: 102/4, need 69 off 28 balls
100 comes up for the men in green in 14.2 overs. At the end of the over, PAK 101/3 REQ Run rate is now: 14 per over | Pakistan need 70 runs in 30 balls
Remember: SL in first 10 overs – 67/5 | SL in last 10 overs – 103/1
Pramod Madushan brought back into the back, gets the breakthrough for the Lankans. The bowler outsmarted the batter by taking pace off the ball and that was a good catch by (sub) Ashen Bandara in the deep. PAK: 93/3 after 13.2 ovs
It is hot and humid in the middle and that is sapping the energy out of the players. Maheesh Theekshana is back into the attack. PAK 91/2 after 13 overs
uhhh made us Proud😭
We love you rizuuuu
Ohhh Mannnn💥💥#PAKvsSL #AsiaCup2022Final pic.twitter.com/zSC875tB8c
Iftikhar starts the 12th over with a huge six!!!! Next ball, he goes downtown for four more. Hasaranga, who was so effective in the last match, looks out of sorts in this over. PAK 88/2 after 12 overs
Karunaratne in to bowl the 11th over and concedes just 3 runs from the 1st 4 balls. Another single. Good over thus far. Just 6 runs from this over. PAK 74/2 afer 11 overs
Had Theekshana collected this throw coming in from the deep cleanly, Ahmed could have been in some trouble despite him diving in full-length. PAK: 63/2 after 9 overs
That was too close#AsiaCup2022Final#BabarAzam𓃵 #FakharZaman #PAKvsSL pic.twitter.com/xGwbdro7Ao
