Saim Ayub, under pressure to deliver, failed to make any worthwhile contribution, continuing his poor run in the tournament
Sports Desk
ABU DHABI:— Pakistan kept their Asia Cup hopes alive with a crucial five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Tuesday. Despite yet another shaky start from the top order, the middle and lower-order batsmen held their nerve to guide the team to an important win. Hussain Talat and Muhammad Nawaz played a winning knock. Pakistan achieved the target in the 18th over.
Chasing Sri Lanka’s modest total, Pakistan once again faced early troubles as the top order faltered. Saim Ayub, under pressure to deliver, failed to make any worthwhile contribution, continuing his poor run in the tournament. Other top-order batters also struggled against disciplined Sri Lankan bowling, raising concerns for the team management ahead of the next fixtures.
However, Pakistan’s middle order staged a strong recovery. Sensible batting partnerships stabilized the innings, with calculated stroke play and maturity ensuring that the required target was achieved with five wickets in hand.
Earlier, Sri Lanka set a modest target of 134 runs for Pakistan.
Put into bat first, the defending champions managed to accumulate 133-8 in their allotted 20 overs despite Kamindu Mendis’s half-century.
Sri Lanka got off to a shaky start to their innings as Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed both openers — Kusal Mendis (zero) and Pathum Nissanka (eight) — in his first two overs.
The 2022 champions, however, were in a comfortable position by the end of the batting powerplay as they had piled up 53 runs despite losing another wicket.
But Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to bring Hussain Talat in pushed Sri Lanka to the back foot as the all-rounder struck twice in his first over, bringing the total down to 58-5 in 7.3 overs.
Following the slump, star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga (15) joined Kamindu in the middle for a cautious 22-run partnership until getting cleaned up by Abrar Ahmed in the 13th over.
Kamindu, on the other hand, stood his ground firm and went on to score a fighting half-century for Sri Lanka. He was dismissed by Shaheen in the penultimate over, soon after he amassed the milestone.
The left-handed batter top-scored for Sri Lanka with a valiant 50 off 44 deliveries, smashing three fours and two sixes.
Shaheen was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking three wickets for just 28 runs in his four overs, followed by Haris Rauf and Talat with two each, while Abrar chipped in with one.
