Pakistan edge Sri Lanka in Super Four thriller at Abu Dhabi
Pakistan scraped past Sri Lanka by five wickets in a tense Super Four clash at Abu Dhabi on September 23. Choosing to bowl first, they held Sri Lanka to 133/8. Shaheen Shah Afridi led the charge, taking 3/28. Sri Lanka began well, posting 53 in the powerplay. However, they lost three key wickets early, which slowed their push.
Kamindu Mendis tried to steady the innings with 50, but wickets fell at a steady clip. Asalanka and Shanaka fell in back-to-back deliveries, stopping any late surge. Shaheen trapped Mendis in the penultimate over, ending Sri Lanka’s chance of a strong finish.
Chasing 134, Pakistan began well but fell to 80/5. They lost four wickets in 17 balls. A 58-run stand between Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz steadied the chase. That shifted the target from 26 off 24 balls to just 14 off 18, before Nawaz’s three sixes sealed the chase with two overs left. This helped Pakistan reach the target with two overs to spare.
The win keeps Pakistan in the race for the Asia Cup final. Sri Lanka now faces a difficult path after two Super Four losses. India and Bangladesh, both unbeaten, clash in Dubai on September 24. The top two teams will meet in Sunday’s final.
