Sri Lanka set finals date with India – beat Pakistan after ding-dong battle

Sri Lanka Captain Chamari Athapaththu’s 63 off 48 balls saw her team in semi-finals

Sri Lanka set a finals date with India on Sunday when they pulled off a thrilling three-wicket win against Pakistan with a ball to spare in the second semi-final of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Set a target of 141, Sri Lanka looked to be cruising towards victory with their Captain Chamari Athapaththu making her third score of over 50 in the tournament – not the most fluent knock. At 120-4 the game was there for the taking for Sri Lanka. But Player of the Match Athapaththu’s dismissal for 63 off 48 balls (9 fours, 1 six) – bowled attempting a reverse sweep, brought Pakistan back into the game as they applied the pressure on the Sri Lankan late order batters.

Two more wickets fell in two overs and Sri Lanka needed three of the last four balls. After Achini Kulasuriya took a single off the first ball she faced, Pakistan skipper Nida Dar bowled a wide down the leg side to tie the scores. Off the penultimate ball Anushka Sanjeewani dances down the track and hits it to long-on to complete the winning run. To make matters worse for Pakistan they are behind the over rate so one less fielder outside the circle.

It was another heartbreak for Pakistan. They did so well to bring the game deep from a point where Sri Lanka needed 21 off 21 balls with left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal bowling superbly to take four wickets including the wicket of Athapaththu. 

Pakistan invited to bat first started the game and ended it strongly to finish on 140-4. Their inform openers Muneeba Ali (37) and Gull Ferosa (25) gave them a good start by posting 61 off 55 balls to set the tone early in the innings. But Udeshika Prabodhani and Kavisha Dilhari’s two wickets each put Sri Lanka back in the game until Fatima Sana’s cameo (23* off 17) and sloppy fielding by Sri Lanka gave Pakistan a crucial lift off at the death.

Scores:

 Pakistan Women 140-4 (20) (Gull Ferosa 25, Muneeba Ali 37, Nida Dar 23, Fatima Sana 23*, Udeshika Prabodhani 2/23, Kavisha Dilhari 2/30)

Sri Lanka Women 141-7 (19.5) (Chamari Athapaththu 63, Anushka Sanjeewani 24*, Sadia Iqbal 4/16)