By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka crashed out of the 2025 Asia Cup yesterday by a bad 5 wicket defeat to Pakistan with their circumspect batting line up turning out to be a big let down reduced to 133 for 8 as the Pakistani’s atoned for their defeat at the hands of India a day ago in getting their cup campaign back on track from a shaky start with frontline bowlers Shasheen Shahid Afridi a 3 wicket burst in breaking the Lankan top order and Hussain Talat 2 for to go with an unbeaten 32 Player of the Match performances putting back the smiles from two houndings by arch rivals India, at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium.
But victory did not come on a platter as the Lankan bowlers reduced Pakistan to 80 for 5 courtesy 2 wicket strikes by Mahees Theekshana, who replaced Dunith Wellalage for this game. and Wanindu Hasaranga before an unfinished sixth wicket 58 between Mohammad Nawaz 38 off 24 with 3 sixes and equal number of boundaries and Hussain Talat 32 off 30 with 4 boundaries saw Pakistan through.
Theekshana removed both Pakistan openers in the space of two balls having Sahib Zada Farhan caught behind by Kusal Mendis for 24 bowling Fakar Zaman for 17 and Hasaranga followed up bowling Saim Ayub for 2 and trapping the skippet Salman Agha leg before wicket for 5 reducing Pakistan to 4 for 57 into 8.1 overs, and when Dushmantha Chameera bowled Mohammad Haris for 38, Sri Lanka had raised hopes of pulling it.
But Mohammad Nawas unleashed a flurry of strokes to speeding his side through with Talat playing an all-round part with the bag to follow up his two wickets.
Pakistan 138 for 5 (Nawaz 38, Talat 32, Theekshana 2-24, Hasaranga 2-27) beat Sri Lanka 133 for 8 (Kamindu Mendis 50, Afridi 3-28, Talat 2-18, Rauf 2-37) by five wickets