Women’s Asia Cup Sri Lanka Women face Pakistan Women in semi-finals

Ayesha Naseem celebrates after scoring the winning runs (Photo credit: ACC)

In a rematch of the final group stage game, Sri Lanka will face Pakistan in the semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2022 today, with India taking on Thailand earlier in the day.
After losing their first game of the tournament, Sri Lanka Women bounced back to win their next four games – beating United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh – before losing to Pakistan on Monday.

Sri Lanka’s middle order batter Hasini Perera reflecting on the result said, “I think we got a brilliant start in the Powerplay, but we couldn't capitalize on that. We should have scored some more runs, about 20 or 30 runs.”

“But we have a good spin attack, and we were confident in that,” she added.

Despite having scored a respectable 47 for the loss of one wicket in the Powerplay, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 112.

In reply, Sri Lanka had restricted Pakistan to 97 for 5 after 18 overs, before Ayesha Naseem cracked two sixes in the penultimate over to take Pakistan across the line with seven balls to spare.  

Meanwhile, Thailand who recorded a shock win over Pakistan earlier in the tournament, snuck through to the semis after Bangladesh’s final group game against UAE was washed out, leaving them a point short of makinga it into the final four.

Their opponents in the semi-final are table toppers India, whose solitary loss in the tournament so far came at the hands of archrivals Pakistan.