Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by two wickets in a last-ball thriller on Thursday to join India in the Asia Cup 2023 final.
The nail-biting match ended with Aslanka finishing the game for the home side and guiding them to a target of 252 runs.
The final of Asia Cup 2023 will now be played between Sri Lanka and India on September 17 (Sunday) in Colombo.
Charith Asalinka remained calm as the onus fell on his shoulders to take his team over the line in the last few overs but batted patiently.
At one point during the last over, the match was in favor of the away side, thanks to Zaman Khan’s brilliant performance, as they had to defend just six runs off the last two balls.
But Aslanka got an outside edge on the second last ball of the match and the ball touched the boundary line.
Sri Lanka needed two from one when Zaman bowled a slower length ball on the pads, but the left-hander held his nerve and played a simple shot towards the deep square leg fence and celebrated as he Two runs across the pitch to guide his side. For a historic win.
Speaking at a post-match function, he spoke about his thought process behind the last-ball win.
“I just thought how can I get two to hit a gap and run hard because it’s a big field and just told Pathirana to run hard. I thought either that bouncer. Kare or a yorker and then he bowled a slower ball, so that was my part. I was very excited. Mendes and Sidira batted very well. I wanted to finish. That’s my role. I made this innings my own. In the book I can put second.” They said.
Chasing a target of 252 runs, Sri Lanka looked favorites from the start with their batsmen playing a sensible and sensible innings.
Kosal Mendis and Sudira Samarawickrama put on a crucial 100-run partnership to put their team in a dominant position.
Mendes was dismissed after scoring 91 runs while Samara Vikrama fell just two runs short of his half-century to Iftikhar Ahmed.
Iftikhar helped his team not only with the bat but also with the ball and took three important and timely wickets but his bravery went in vain.
Batting first, Pakistan scored 252 runs on the scoreboard thanks to the combined forces of Muhammad Rizwan and Iftikhar.
Rizwan played an unbeaten innings of 86 off 73 balls with 9 fours while Abdullah Shafiq scored his maiden ODI half-century and was the second top scorer for the Green Shirts.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first. Due to rain, the match was reduced to 45 overs and then 42 overs.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Muhammad Haris, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (captain), Muhammad Rizwan (wicket), Abdullah Shafiq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Muhammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Muhammad Wasim, Zaman Khan
Sri Lanka: Kosal Perera, Patham Nissanka, Kosal Mendis (wt), Siddira Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasan Shanaka (capt), Donath Velalj, Mahesh Thikshina, Pramod Madhushan, Mathisha Pathirana
