Sri Lanka Clinch Asia cup for the 6th time

By Shanuka Aravinda reporting from Dubai

A stunning half-century from Bhanuka Rajapaksa and a near flawless effort in defending a 171-run target gave Sri Lanka their sixth Asia Cup title, beating Pakistan by 23 runs in the final at the Dubai International Stadium yesterday.

All of Sri Lanka’s wins in the lead up to final, had come from successfully chasing targets, but it was not a comfort they were afforded yesterday, after Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat first.
Sri Lanka overcame an early bump, being reduced to 53 for 4 at the end of their Powerplay, with Rajapaksa leading a sensational recovery that yielded 103 runs in the last ten overs of their innings, and a score of 170 for 6 in 20 overs.

Pakistan had 10 runs on the board before Sri Lanka bowled a legitimate delivery, with left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka overstepping on his first delivery and then following it up with four wides.
Three overs later however right-arm fast bowler Promod Madushan took the wickets of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman in his first over, as Sri Lanka roared back, conceding just two boundaries inside the first six overs.
Pakistan were slightly ahead in the game after 10 overs, sitting on 68 for 2 – Sri Lanka had themselves been on 67 for 5 at the same stage – but 23 runs off the next three overs pushed the required rate to over 11 runs an over and the pressure began to tell.

Madushan returned to end a 71-run partnership between Mohammed Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed, and a four-run 15th over left Pakistan needing 70 runs from the last five overs.

As Pakistan’s batsmen began to hit out, Sri Lanka’s fielders were impeccable, not missing a single catching opportunity – Danushka Gunathilaka alone taking two superb catches.

A three-wicket 17th over bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga was the death knell for Pakistan, needing 59 runs from 18 deliveries, with Maheesh Theekshana, Madushan and Chamika Karunaratne taking the last three wickets, bowling out their opposition for 147 on the final ball of the innings. Madushan, playing just his second international match, finished with figures of 4 for 34, with Hasaranga taking 3 for 27 and Karunaratne picking up 2 for 33 – supplemented by an intense performance by Sri Lanka’s fielders.

Sri Lanka’s rough start was triggered by some fiery pace bowling from Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
Kusal Mendis was dismissed for a first ball duck when Shah beat him with an in-seamer, before Rauf had in-form Pathum Nissanka caught at mid-off and bowled Gunathilaka with a delivery that clocked just over 150 kmph.
Dhananjaya de Silva stuck four boundaries, but returned a catch to Iftikhar Ahmed, as Sri Lanka slumped to 53 for 4, a situation that would become even more dire when Shanaka was bowled by Shadab Khan in the next over.
A partnership of 58 off 36 balls between Rajapaksa and Hasaranga consolidated Sri Lanka’s position, on 117 for 6 at the end of the 15th over, before Rajapaksa unfurled three sixes to remain unbeaten on 71 at the end of 20 overs.

Rajapaksa had some luck along the way, being dropped twice in the outfield – once by Shabad Khan and the other when Khan bumped into Asif Ali near the boundary line, with the ball subsequently flying over the boundary line for a six.
It was two moments that could have swung the game in Pakistan’s favour, with Sri Lanka’s superior fielding ultimately proving a difference.