In a dramatic Super 4 clash at the Asia Cup held in Abu Dhabi, Pakistan clinched a crucial five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, keeping their hopes alive in the tournament. Chasing a modest target of 134, Pakistan endured a tense run chase, ultimately reaching 138 for five. The match saw a standout performance from Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga, whose fiery spell of bowling threatened to derail Pakistan’s pursuit, but solid partnerships ultimately led them to triumph.
The Pakistani innings began with an aggressive intent, despite the challenging batting conditions. Opening batsman Sahibzada Farhan, scoring 24 runs, provided the early impetus with a flurry of boundaries, including a spectacular sequence of 6, 6, 4 off pacer Nuwan Thushara. His partner, Fakhar Zaman, had a slower start (17 off 19 balls) and was notably struck on the helmet by a delivery from Dushmantha Chameera before his dismissal.
Sri Lanka’s spin wizard, Maheesh Theekshana, broke through in the sixth over, claiming Farhan, followed swiftly by Zaman. However, it was Wanindu Hasaranga who truly put Pakistan under immense pressure. He dismissed Saim Ayub and captain Salman Agha in quick succession, with a phenomenal ground-level catch accounting for one of the wickets. Ayub’s dismissal, bowled by a delivery exhibiting subtle seam movement, was a testament to Hasaranga’s precision. Notably, in both instances, Hasaranga mimicked Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed’s unique hands-on-chest celebration, a clear response to earlier on-field exchanges.
With Pakistan reeling at 80 for five and still needing 54 runs, the match was finely balanced. It was then that Hussain Talat (32 runs off 30 balls) and Mohammad Nawaz (38 runs off 24 balls) stepped up. Their calm and composed partnership guided Pakistan through the difficult phase, ultimately sealing a hard-fought victory with two overs to spare.
Earlier in the match, Pakistan’s fast bowlers dominated, restricting the Sri Lankan lineup to 133 for eight. Despite an elegant half-century from Kamindu Mendis, Sri Lanka struggled to build significant momentum. They experienced an early collapse, losing key batsmen Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka cheaply to Shaheen Shah Afridi, who claimed three wickets. Talat and wicketkeeper Haris contributed to these early dismissals.
Skipper Charith Asalanka and Kusal Perera briefly stabilized the innings with a 25-run stand before Perera was caught out by a well-judged diving effort from Faheem Ashraf. The situation worsened for Sri Lanka in the eighth over when Talat and Rauf removed Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka on successive deliveries, leaving them struggling at 58 for five. Mendis’ determined fifty, coupled with a 43-run partnership with Chamika Karunaratne, helped Sri Lanka cross the 100-run mark. However, it proved insufficient to truly challenge a resilient Pakistan side, who ultimately maintained their composure to secure a crucial win.