{"id":4105,"date":"2023-09-14T19:52:04","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T19:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/sri-lanka-beat-pakistan-to-reach-asia-cup-2023-final\/"},"modified":"2023-09-14T19:52:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T19:52:04","slug":"sri-lanka-beat-pakistan-to-reach-asia-cup-2023-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/sri-lanka-beat-pakistan-to-reach-asia-cup-2023-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka beat Pakistan to reach Asia Cup 2023 final"},"content":{"rendered":"
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COLOMBO: Charith Asalanka displayed nerves of steel to lead Sri Lanka to the Asia Cup 2023 final with a thrilling two-wicket victory over Pakistan.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pakistani bowlers fought back in the final overs and took back-to-back wickets, however, Charith Asalanka made no mistake and led his team to the Asia Cup final on the last bowl of the final over.<\/p>\n

This is a developing story\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Opting to bat first, Pakistan raised a commendable total of 252\/7 after the all-important Asia Cup 2023 fixture was reduced to 42 overs a side due to rain interruption.<\/p>\n

The hosts once again got off to a shaky start to their innings as their out-of-form opener Fakhar Zaman (4) failed to score big and was castled by Pramod Madushan in the fourth over with just nine runs on the board.<\/p>\n

Following the early dismissal, Pakistan captain Babar Azam joined Abdullah Shafique at the crease and the pair knitted an anchoring 64-run partnership.<\/p>\n

The duo of Babar and Abdullah had put Pakistan in a strong position before Dunith Wellalage got Babar stumped to mark Sri Lanka\u2019s comeback.<\/p>\n

Related: Sri Lanka set up Asia Cup 2023 final with India as Pakistan crash out<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rizwan and Iftikhar turned the game on its head with a brisk 108-run partnership for the sixth wicket which ended when the latter perished in the penultimate over.<\/p>\n

Iftikhar fell just three short of his half-century, scoring 47 off just 40 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and two sixes.<\/p>\n

Mohammad Rizwan, however, carried his bat all the way through and top-scored for Pakistan with an unbeaten 86-run knock from 73 deliveries, laced up with six boundaries and two sixes.<\/p>\n

Matheesha Pathirana led the bowling attack for Sri Lanka in an all-important Asia Cup 2023 fixture with 3\/65 in his eight overs, followed by Pramod Madushan\u2019s 2\/58.<\/p>\n

Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage made one scalp each.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n