Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 23 runs to seal sixth Asia Cup triumph
Pakistan controlled the first 10 overs of Sri Lanka's batting innings, but after that, it was all the Lankan Lions showing their class in all three departments of the game.
Splendid Sri Lanka dominated Pakistan all through the final and eventually win the match by 23 runs to seal the Asia Cup 2022 triumph. This is Sri Lanka's sixth Asia Cup title.
Pakistan controlled the first 10 overs of Sri Lanka's batting innings, but after that, it was all the Lankan Lions showing their class in all three departments of the game.
Pakistan accumulated 147 runs in their 20 overs falling runs short in the all-important final.
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Mohammad Rizwan's slow and hard-fought fifty didn't help the Pakistanis in the big chase. He top-scored for the men in Green with 55 runs to his name.
Pramod Madushan picked up 4 wickets to turn things around in Sri Lanka's favor. Wanindu Hasaranga chipped in with three wickets to his name as well.
11: 42 pm
The match is all but done in Dubai. Pakistan need 51 runs to win from their final 2 overs with only 2 wickets in hand. Chamika Karunaratne bagged a brace.
11:34 pm
Hasaranga's three-wicket over has almost sealed the match for Sri Lanka. He gave away only one run in the 17th over.
Asif Ali was gone for a golden duck as Hasaranga's second victim before Khushdil Shah departed for a duck too.
Sri Lanka are inching ever closer to the Asia Cup title. They need to defend runs from the final 3 overs
11:32 pm
Rizwan departed soon after reaching his fifty. Hasaranga picked up his first wicket.
Pakistan need some serious hitting to win this match from here on.
They are 61 runs away with 5 wickets in hand.
Sri Lanka will look for a tight over here.
11:22 pm
Dhananjaya de Silva gave away only 4 runs in the 15th over.
Pakistan now need 70 to win from their final 5 overs.
Rizwan is batting on 47 off 45 balls.
11:11 pm
Pakistan needed 97 from the final 9 overs when Wanindu Hasaranga came to bowl the 12th over. Iftikhar Ahmed struck a boundary and a maximum to bag 14 from that over.
They were now ready to accelerate from there on but Iftikhar departed in the 14th over for 32.
Madushan picked up this third wicket.
It's now anybody's game from here on.
Pakistan now need 74 runs to win from the final 6 overs with 7 wickets in hand.
Sri Lanka need a wicket or two to fight back in the clash.
10:49 pm
Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed have kept Pakistan steady in the 171-run chase after they lost the first two wickets for 22 runs.
Rizwan is batting on 36 and Iftikhar has bagged 17 runs so far.
Pakistan are 68 for 2 after 10 overs.
10:25pm
Pramod Madushan gave Pakistan a run for their money picking up back-to-back wickets of Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman in the 4th over.
Babar departed after just scoring 5 runs facing 6 balls while Fakhar departed immediately after him dragging Madushan's delivery to stumps.
Pakistan are 24/2 chasing 171-run target posted by Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2022 final.
9:49pm
Sri Lanka came back in the game after putting a fighting total of 170/6 courtesy of Bhanuka Rajapaksa's innings of 71 runs from 45 balls.
The 51-run partnership between Rajapaksa and Chamika Karunaratne gave Sri Lanka the fuel to keep them running the race to win Asia Cup.
Karunaratne scored 14 runs facing 14 balls. While Rauf had an impressive bowling figure of 3 for 29 runs, two other Pakistan seamers, Naseem and Hasnain remained costly with each giving away around 40 runs in their 4-over quotas.
Pakistan needs 171 runs in 20 overs to win the title.
9:36pm
Bhanuka Rajapaksa has reached a much-needed 50-run facing 35 deliveries all while steadying Sri Lanka's ship.
After 18 overs, Sri Lanka are 148/6 losing only the wicket of Hasaranga to Rauf.
Haris Rauf has picked up 3 wickets giving away only 29 runs in his 4-over spell.
9:15pm
Sri Lanka has reached the 100-mark after Wanindu Hasaranga and Bhanuka Rajapaksa braved 48 run partnership facing 31 balls.
Hasaranga made 25 in 12 balls and Rajapaksa scored 32 facing 26 deliveries.
Sri Lanka are at 106/5 after 14 overs.
8:54pm
Shadab Khan joined the party picking up the wicket of Dasun Shanaka.
Shanaka tried to sweep it across the line but missed it completely and was bowled out in the process.
Sri Lanka side are in deep trouble losing their 6th wicket at 62 runs after 9 over.
8:48pm
Sri Lanka lost their fourth wicket after Dhananjaya de Silva was caught and bowled by Iftikhar Ahmed in a soft dismissal.
Despite looking steady after making 28 runs from 21 balls, de Silva's departure left Sri Lanka at 55 losing 4 wickets after 8 overs.
8:39pm
Danushka Gunathilaka had his stumps uprooted as Pakistan seamer Haris Rauf picked up his second wicket of the innings.
Gunathilaka made only 1 run facing 4 deliveries.
Sri Lanka are at 42 runs for 3 wickets after the opening powerplay of 6 overs.
8:20pm
Haris Rauf picked up the wicket of Pathum Nissanka as he tried to swipe back down the ground but ended up lofting the ball towards mid-off, where Babar Azam took a running catch.
Sri Lanka are now 28 for 2 wickets after 4 overs. Nissanka departed after scoring 8 runs.
8:05pm
Sri Lanka lost their first two wicket in the very first over after Pakistan seamer Naseem Shah ripped through the wicket of Kushal Mendis.
Opener Mendis returned to the pavilion after a golden duck.
Pakistan have won the toss in the final of Asia Cup 2022 against Sri Lanka in Dubai and elected to bowl first.
The match started at Dubai International Stadium at 8pm (BST) Sunday (11 September).
Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain.
Sri Lanka XI: Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dasun Shanaka (capt), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Pramod Madushan, Dilshan Madushanka.
