Pakistan’s victory in Abu Dhabi propels them to second place in the Super Fours standings, while Sri Lanka faces near elimination.
Published On 23 Sep 2025
Pakistan has kept their Asia Cup 2025 final aspirations alive by securing a five-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi.
Both sides entered this pivotal Super Fours encounter fully aware that defeat would almost certainly end their chances in the UAE-hosted tournament.
Pakistan’s innings got off to a strong start as openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman compiled a steady 45-run stand.
Farhan was notably aggressive, striking 24 runs from just 15 deliveries before succumbing to Maheesh Theekshana’s off-spin in the sixth over.
Zaman, who had been shaken by a bouncer from Dushmantha Chameera early on, struggled to find his usual rhythm and was dismissed two balls later, caught brilliantly by a diving Wanindu Hasaranga while attempting a slog sweep.
Following Theekshana’s impactful double-wicket over, leg-spinner Hasaranga continued to trouble Pakistan’s batsmen, claiming wickets in both his opening overs.
Hasaranga and Chameera dismantled the middle order rapidly, removing Saim Ayub, Salman Agha, and Mohammed Haris in quick succession, leaving Pakistan needing 54 runs with limited wickets in hand.
At this critical juncture, all-rounders Hussain Talat and Muhammad Nawaz steadied the innings against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Talat contributed a composed 32 off 20 balls, easing the pressure, while Nawaz’s 38 runs from 24 deliveries, including two towering sixes off Chameera, sealed the victory with two overs remaining.
Pakistan’s choice to bowl first paid immediate dividends as Shaheen Shah Afridi struck early, dismissing Kusal Mendis on the second ball of the match.
He then removed Sri Lanka’s top scorer, Pathum Nissanka, in his second over, putting the six-time champions under early pressure.
Kusal Perera and captain Charith Asalanka briefly steadied the innings before their dismissals.
Kamindu Mendis, batting at number five, played a vital innings, scoring a patient 50 off 44 balls to help Sri Lanka reach 133 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Afridi, who had been searching for form, emerged as Pakistan’s standout bowler with figures of 3 for 28 from his four overs.
Support came from pacer Haris Rauf and all-rounder Hussain Talat, who each claimed two wickets.
This victory not only earned Pakistan two crucial points but also improved their net run rate (NRR) to 0.226, placing them second behind India’s 0.689 on the Super Fours leaderboard.
Bangladesh dropped to third with an NRR of 0.121, while Sri Lanka’s chances dimmed further as they remain pointless with a negative NRR of -0.59.
Sri Lanka now rely heavily on Bangladesh defeating both India and Pakistan by significant margins in their upcoming matches. Only then can Sri Lanka hope to upset India in their final Super Fours game and claim the second spot in the final.
For Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, the path is clearer: securing a second win in the Super Fours will guarantee a place in Sunday’s final showdown.
