Sri Lanka managed the long lost ingredients, needed for the will to win that has paved the way for the island team to qualify and play the finals against Pakistan tomorrow.
What are these ingredients ?
The intent , one of the top order batters to score big by staying at the wickets and bat deep. Ensure to handle spin in the middle overs , by rotating the strike and milking the singles if boundaries are difficult to come by. Ensure minimum loss in the Power play overs.
By keeping wickets in tact you ensure , the last charge will go thundering towards the dwilight goal will pave the way with ease from over number 16 to 20.
At least 2 bowlers to get among the wickets, and take all the opportunities, in ground fielding , and importantly do not drop catches, repeat catches, because that discipline wins you the matches. Limit unorthodox stroke play , Sri Lanka ticked all these boxes.
Put into bat and to stitch 184 for 5 wickets with two partnerships, of 66 runs for the 3rd wicket , and 63 for the 4th wicket proved the Sri Lankan batters controlled the middle overs facing the treble spin of Pakistan well. It was encouraging that they restricted the Parkistani third spinner Mohd Nawas to bowl only 2 overs.
The Sri Lankan batters made the spinners to bowl to them by not hunting after them , that was the difference.
Kudus to Sanath Jayasuriya the coach for giving Kamil Misra a pep talk and telling him not to throw his wicket, hence he top scored with 76 runs in 48 balls , 6 boundaries and 3 sixes with a strike rate of 158.33 with Kusal Mendis thumping 40 off 23 balls with a better strike rate than Kamil Misra, with 171.91 , 6 boundaries and a six , but most importantly his 66 runs partnership with Kamil Misra twisted the tale in favour of Sri Lanka.
Kusal Mendis was adjudicated LBW , for an unplayable Abar Ahmad googly that kept low , but Janith Liyanage batting at number 5 gave Kamil Misra Support , hence the left hand right hand combination that stitched another partnership of 63 for the 4th wicket put Sri Lanka in right zone for a defendable score , despite the dismissal of Kamil Misra. Liyanage had the presence of mind to bat along side Dasun Shanaka , and the pair added 27 valuable runs in the last two overs. Excellentf mind set and approach.
Pakistan were undone for the pace , swing and to the variation dished out by Dusmantha Chameera because they lost 4 wickets for 43 runs. In the Power play overs. Chameera ‘s first spell read as 2 wickets for 3 runs in 2 overs. This is magical.
Hasaranga is a genius like Dusmantha Chameera, he scalped just 1 wicket for 27 runs , but that wicket of Usman Khan for 33 , was the turning point because the 56 run partnership for the 5th wicket with Salman Ali Agar put Pakistan back on track.
Salman Ali Agar is a fine batter , he was joined by the ever valuable Mohd Nawas , because the left hand right hand combination almost took the game away from Sri Lanka. The pair stitched a Partnership of 70 runs for the 6th wicket. It was an exhibition of orthodox stroke play and unorthodox improvisation .
Pakistan fell short by 7 runs thanks to an excellent bowling spell by Dusmantha Chameera , he took 2 wickets for 3 runs in his final over , with Pakistan needing 10 runs to win. He nailed 5 unplayable Yorkers that even had star batter Salman Ali Khan the Pakistan Captain stuck whilst he remained unbeaten on 63 and found run making difficult because of Great line bowling by the Sri Lankan seamer Dusmantha Chameera who richly was ultimately awarded the player of the match.
Main scores
Sri Lankan 184 for 7 wickets
Kamil Misra 76
Kusal Mendis 40
Janith Liyanage 24 not out
Dasun Shanaka 17 in 10 balls
Abar Ahmad 2 for 27
Salman Mirza 1 for 27
Salim Ayub 1 for 19
Feature
66 runs partnership between Kamil Misra and Kusal Mendis for the 2nd wicket. 66 runs partnership for the 5th wicket between Janith Liyanage and Kamil Misra.
Pakistan 178 for 7 wickets.
Salman Ali Agar 63 not out
Usman Khan 33
Shan Ayub 27
Mohd Nawas 27
Dusmantha Chameera 4 for 20
Wanindu Hasaranga 1 for 27
Feature
Dusmantha Chameera 4 for 20 , conceeding only 3 runs and scaping 2 wickets in final over. Pakistan falling short by only 6 runs after being restricted to 43 for 4 wickets at the end of the Power play overs.
Partnership of 56v between usnan and Salman , 70 between Nawas and Salman.
Sri Lankan win by 6 runs and qualify for thej finals against Pakistan tomorrow.
