Pakistan chased down a modest 134-run target at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, to knock Sri Lanka out of the ongoing Asia Cup and keep their own hopes of reaching the final alive. Hussain Talat and Nawaz added 58 runs for the sixth wicket in just 41 balls without losing their wicket, guiding Pakistan to a comfortable victory in the hot and humid conditions of Abu Dhabi. This is Pakistan’s first T20I win over Sri Lanka in last eight years.
Pakistan, eager to bounce back after their heavy defeat to Suryakumar Yadav’s India on September 21, bowled with discipline to restrict Sri Lanka to 133 for eight and then laboured through the chase, ultimately reaching the target with 12 balls and five wickets to spare. Meanwhile, defending champions Sri Lanka, who had gone unbeaten through the group stage, faltered in the Super 4s, suffering consecutive defeats to Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Chasing 134, Pakistan began cautiously under Sri Lanka’s tight early bowling. Nuwan Thushara conceded just four runs in the opening over, showing glimpses of late movement, while Dushmantha Chameera probed with disciplined lines and lengths. Fakhar Zaman eventually broke the shackles with a crisp drive over midwicket for four, though a short-pitched delivery had earlier struck him on the helmet, prompting a lengthy concussion check. Once cleared, he returned, though Pakistan physio Clifford Deacon warned of possible delayed symptoms.
Sahibzada Farhan then seized the initiative, punishing a length ball over mid-on and lofting another over long-off for six. At 43 without loss after five overs, Pakistan looked comfortable, but the momentum swung quickly. Maheesh Theekshana struck twice in the final over of the powerplay, dismissing Farhan and Fakhar to mid-off, with Wanindu Hasaranga taking a remarkable low catch. Hasaranga followed up in the next over, deceiving Saim Ayub with a googly and trapping captain Salman Ali Agha lbw. Pakistan had lost four wickets for just 17 runs over four overs, highlighting Sri Lanka’s spin threat, leaving them 71 for four after ten overs.
With Hussain Talat and Mohammad Haris at the crease, skipper Charith Asalanka recalled Chameera in the 12th over. The move paid immediate dividends: Chameera’s first delivery, a 140kph ball that nipped back sharply, pierced Haris’ defence and flattened middle stump, removing Pakistan’s fifth wicket.
Sri Lanka needed wickets, but Asalanka’s gamble with Hasaranga backfired as boundaries flowed instead. Mohammad Nawaz, the spin-bowling all-rounder yet to bowl, drove a full delivery through extra cover for four before sweeping wide of short fine. With Thushara returning, Nawaz greeted him with another crisp drive through cover. Suddenly, the required rate had fallen below a run-a-ball, easing Pakistan’s chase.
Hasaranga tried to tighten the screws with flight and variation, but Nawaz punished anything loose, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Singles rotated the strike, boundaries kept the pressure off, and the spinners who had earlier sparked a collapse were now on the back foot. Pakistan’s calculated aggression and Nawaz’s fluent strokeplay meant the target of 134 increasingly felt within reach, leaving Sri Lanka scrambling for breakthroughs that never came.
SHAHEEN SHINES IN ABU DHABI
Earlier, Pakistan’s pacers ran through the Sri Lankan batting line-up, restricting them to 133 for eight despite a determined half-century from Kamindu Mendis. Sent in to bat, Sri Lanka were immediately on the back foot. In-form Kusal Mendis fell on the second delivery, followed just an over later by Pathum Nissanka, leaving the visitors reeling at 18 for two. Shaheen Shah Afridi made the first breakthrough, inducing an uppish flick from Kusal Mendis that Hussain Talat pouched comfortably. Nissanka responded with a boundary off Afridi but edged the very next ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris, compounding Sri Lanka’s early woes.
A brief period of resistance followed as skipper Charith Asalanka and Kusal Perera stitched together a 25-run partnership for the third wicket. Both batters looked in touch, finding the boundary and keeping the innings alive, but the stand lacked momentum. Perera’s attempt to chip Haris Rauf over the circle ended in a well-judged diving catch by Faheem Ashraf, bringing the partnership to an abrupt end. Sri Lanka concluded the powerplay at 53 for three, a precarious position that hinted at the struggles to come.
The eighth over proved disastrous. Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka fell in successive balls. Talat drew Asalanka into a mistimed pull, allowing Rauf to take a straightforward catch at square leg, while Shanaka edged Talat to Haris behind the stumps. Sri Lanka teetered at 58 for five. Kamindu Mendis (50 off 44 balls) tried to anchor the innings, playing exquisite strokes and constructing a 43-run stand with Chamika Karunaratne for the seventh wicket. His fighting half-century offered a slight reprieve, taking Sri Lanka past the 100-run mark, but the early damage left the line-up too fragmented to pose a serious challenge.
– Ends