ISLAMABAD: Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by five wickets on Friday, with Pathum Nissanka scoring a half-century to ensure his side gets the better of the green shirts in the last match of the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup.
With the latest victory, Sri Lanka remain undefeated in all three matches of Asia Cup's Super Four stage, having beaten Afghanistan, India and Pakistan in previous encounters.
Pakistan earlier gave Sri Lanka a modest 122-run target to chase, with the green shirts top and middle order both failing to perform. Skipper Babar Azam contributed with 30 runs while Mohammad Nawaz scored 26 to give somewhat support to an otherwise beleaguered effort by Pakistan.
Pakistani bowlers gave a scare to the Sri Lankan batters earlier on, with Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf taking early wickets. However, Nissanka, Rajapaksa and Shanaka contributed with impressive scores to ensure Pakistan lost the match.
Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka (R) tosses a coin as Pakistan's captain Babar Azam watches before the start of the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket Super Four match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on September 9, 2022. (AFP)
Earlier, Sri Lanka had won the toss and elected to field first against Pakistan. Both sides came into the match with their heads held high, especially Pakistan, after right-arm pacer Naseem Shah hit two consecutive sixes in the last over against Afghanistan on Wednesday to finish the day with a dramatic one-wicket victory.
