Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Pakistan has defeated Sri Lanka in their Super Fours encounter to take a massive step towards a place in the final and a third match against India in the Asia Cup 2025.
Tonight’s Pakistan vs Sri Lanka game was Match 15 of the ACC Asia Cup 2025. This was also both of these teams’ second match of the Super Fours round. The game was played in the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, as Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Pakistan Thrashes Sri Lanka In Super Fours
The Lankan Lions failed to establish a strong start to their inning. Opener Kamindu Mendis was dismissed on the second ball of the first over for a duck by Shaheen Afridi. The other opener, Pathum Nissanka, became Afridi’s second wicket of the day in the third over.
And then, in the last over of the powerplay, even Kusal Perera got out. So while Sri Lanka made a healthy 53 runs in the first six overs, they also lost three wickets.
Regular wickets never stopped falling. Captain Charith Asalanka was out after scoring 20 off 19, and Dasun Shanaka was dismissed on the very next ball for a golden duck to bring the score down to 58/5 in eight overs.
However, while wickets still kept falling, Kamindu Mendis took charge of stabilising the innings from this point. So while Wanindu Hasaranga made 15 off 13, and Chamika Karunaratne made 17 off 21, Mendis stood firm at one end. He scored a half-century and took his team past the 100-run mark.
By the time Kamindu Mendis got out in the 19th over at the hands of Shaheen Afridi, he had scored 50 off 44 and taken Sri Lanka to 123/7. The innings ended at a below-par yet respectable score of 133/8 in 20 overs.
Shaheen Afridi was by far the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, bowling a four-over spell of 3/28 and taking three massive wickets.
The Pakistan innings, in contrast to that of the Lankan Lions, got off to a brilliant start. The opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman scored 43 runs without losing any wickets in the first five overs.
But in the final over of the powerplay, both openers would depart. While Farhan played a solid inning of 24 off 15, Zaman played the supporting role, scoring 17 off 19.
Over the next three overs, Sain Ayub and captain Salman Ali Agha would be out for cheap, with Ayub making two and Agha scoring five. At 57/4 in the fifth over, the Men in Green looked in serious trouble. However, at this point, all-rounder Hussain Talat took charge of buckling down, throwing down the anchor, and taking the match home.
First with Mohammad Haris (13 off 11), and then with Mohammad Nawaz (30* off 24), Talat built slow and safe partnerships to ensure that Pakistan chased the small target down with ease. Having scored 23 off 30, Hussain Talat, along with Mohammad Nawaz, took Pakistan to the target in 18 overs, winning the match for their team by five wickets and with 12 balls to spare.
With a win in this Pakistan vs Sri Lanka game, the Pakistan Cricket Team has taken a step towards a place in the final. After a defeat against India in their first Super Fours game, a win here means that another win against Bangladesh would ensure a place in the final for them, which will most likely be a third India vs Pakistan confrontation in the Asia Cup 2025.
On the other hand, this is Sri Lanka’s second loss in the Super Fours. They are all but out of the race for the final. Their miniscule hopes will only stay alive if they are to beat the mighty India in their last game of this round.
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