Pakistan put on a polished all-round display to hand Sri Lanka their second consecutive defeat in the Asia Cup Super 4 stage, leaving the defending champions on the verge of elimination. The Men in Green comfortably chased down 134 with five wickets in hand and two overs to spare, thanks to a calm and composed partnership between Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz.
Batting first, Sri Lanka’s innings never found momentum. Shaheen Afridi set the tone with the new ball, dismissing Kusal Mendis for a golden duck before sending back Pathum Nissanka. Despite some early aggression from Kusal Perera and Charith Asalanka, wickets kept tumbling. Hussain Talat struck in successive deliveries to remove Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka, while Abrar Ahmed bowled a miserly spell that piled on the pressure. Sri Lanka slipped to 70 for 5 at the halfway mark and only managed to push past 130 thanks to Kamindu Mendis’ fighting half-century and a few late blows from Chamika Karunaratne.
Chasing 134, Pakistan got off to a lively start through Fakhar Zaman and Sahibzada Farhan, but Sri Lanka hit back quickly. Wanindu Hasaranga’s double strike and Dushmantha Chameera’s pace gave the defending champions a glimmer of hope, reducing Pakistan to 85 for 5. From there, however, Nawaz (38* off 26) and Talat (32* off 25) took charge. The pair rotated the strike smartly before Nawaz sealed the win in style with three towering sixes in the 18th over.
The result leaves Sri Lanka winless after two Super 4s games, and their future now depends on other results. A victory for India over Bangladesh would officially knock them out before their final group clash against India on September 26. Pakistan, meanwhile, will carry their momentum into their next fixture against Bangladesh on September 25, with a place in the final well within reach.
Match Summary:
- Sri Lanka: 133/8 in 20 overs (Kamindu Mendis 50; Afridi 3/28, Talat 2/18)
- Pakistan: 138/5 in 18 overs (Nawaz 38*, Talat 32*; Theekshana 2/24, Hasaranga 2/27)
- Result: Pakistan won by 5 wickets.
