In a thrilling showdown on Thursday, September 14, Pakistan tasted defeat against Dasun Shanaka’s formidable Sri Lankan squad in a high-stakes Super Four match of the Asia Cup 2023. The battle was nothing short of a virtual semi-final, where the Pakistani team found themselves lacking in several critical aspects, ultimately leading to their unfortunate exit from the tournament.
The tension reached its zenith as Sri Lanka successfully chased down a challenging target, securing a two-wicket victory in a nail-biting last-over showdown. Zaman Khan, giving it his all, fought valiantly, but it was Charith Asalanka who emerged as Sri Lanka’s hero, remaining unbeaten with 49 runs to his name.
Reflecting on the outcome of the match, Captain Babar Azam shared his thoughts during the post-match press conference, stating, “We just decided to bowl our best overs and asked Shaheen to bowl the second last over and believed in Zaman. Sri Lanka played very well, better cricket than us.”
Azam acknowledged that Pakistan allowed the Sri Lankan side to gain momentum during the partnership between Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kusal Mendis, which resulted in a formidable 100-run collaboration for the third wicket.
“We have not been up to the mark in the bowling and fielding. That is why we lost the match. In the middle overs, we did not bowl well. That partnership cost us. We started well, ended well, but middle overs were not great. We have lacked that,” he added.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, the towering figure in Pakistan’s squad, became the hero of the hour by delivering a brilliant penultimate over. He secured two vital wickets, dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage, while conceding a mere four runs.
Kusal Mendis showcased his prowess as Sri Lanka’s star batsman, accumulating an impressive 91 runs before being dismissed by Iftikhar Ahmed. However, his contribution had already paved the way for Sri Lanka’s commanding position in the match.
Following this remarkable victory, Sri Lanka has secured their spot in the Asia Cup final, where they will go head-to-head with India in an eagerly awaited showdown scheduled for Sunday, September 17. Notably, it has been nearly four decades since the inception of the Asia Cup, and cricket enthusiasts around the globe eagerly anticipate the final clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.
