Sunday Sep 22, 2024
Sunday Sep 22, 2024
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Sri Lanka celebrate wildly after managing to eke out a one-run win over Pakistan in the second semi-final
Player of the Match Inoka Ranaweera stifled Pakistan with two wickets
Achini Kulasuriya bowled a stunning final over to help Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the second semi-final at Sylhet yesterday and march into the final of the Women’s Asia Cup.
Kulasuriya bowled full and straight throughout the over and left Pakistan needing three off the last ball. But Nida Dar could not clear cover, where Kavisha Dilhari dropped the catch running backwards but recovered well to return a throw to the wicketkeeper, who ran Dar out to squeeze out a one-run victory.
Sri Lanka will meet India in the final on Saturday at 1 p.m. India won the first semi-final beating Thailand by 74 runs.
It is Sri Lanka’s first T20 Asia Cup final, having made it to the title clash three times when the tournament was an ODI affair, the last time being in 2008.
Pakistan would feel hard done by, as they were cruising till captain Bismah Maroof was at the crease. When Maroof got out in the 18th over, Pakistan were in the driver’s seat, needing a run-a-ball 16. But Inoka Ranaweera bowled a superb penultimate over - giving away just four and prising out big-hitting Ayesha Naseem cheaply - to leave eight for Kulasuriya to defend.
Kulasuriya bowled full mostly and did not allow Aliya Riaz and Dar to free their arms. Eventually, it was down to three needed off the last ball but Dar couldn’t take Pakistan home, leaving Sri Lanka screaming in delight in front of the sparse crowd in Sylhet.
Kulasuriya did not let the over-rate punishment, due to which they were allowed a fielder less outside the inner ring in the final over, hamper them. Sri Lanka would also be thankful to their batters for their fine effort earlier, particularly at the start when they got a few boundaries to get things going.
Sri Lanka raced to 39 in the powerplay, thanks mainly to wicketkeeper-batter Anushka Sanjeewani’s 26 off 21 balls. After being promoted to open, she struck a four and a big six over square leg but fell in the last over of the fielding restriction. Chamari Athapaththu also hit a six but was the first batter to get out when she tried to slog Dar over long-on and was bowled.
Harshitha Samarawickrama, however, ensured Sri Lanka didn’t let their good start go to waste, adding 50 for the third wicket with Nilakshi de Silva. But the pair managed just one boundary between them, which Samarawickrama got during her 35 off 41 balls, before Sandhu removed her in the 18th over. Sandhu also had de Silva caught-and-bowled in her previous over and finished with 3 for 17 from four overs.
Sadia Iqbal and Aiman Anwer too bowled excellently in the last few overs, both picking up a wicket each as Sri Lanka made only 35 runs in the last five overs. They slipped from 102 for 3 with 14 balls remaining, only to be restricted to 122 for 6 after 20 overs.
Scores:
