DUBAI: Sri Lanka were crowned Asia Cup champions for the sixth time on Sun­day after Bhanuka Rajapa­ksa’s batting pyrotechnics and Wanindu Hasaranga’s all-round brilliance secured them a 23-run victory against Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Stadium.

Rajapaksa smashed an unbeaten 71 to help Sri Lanka weather a top order collapse and reach 170-6 in their 20 overs.

When they returned, Hasaranga claimed three wickets in one over and Pramod Madushan claimed a career-best 4-34 to bowl out Pakistan for 147 in exactly 20 overs.

Pakistan won the toss and skipper Babar Azam had no hesitation in fielding first since the side batting second had won nine of the 12 matches in the tournament.

At one stage Sri Lanka were reeling at 58-5 in the ninth over after their top order wilted early.

Naseem Shah began with a wide, but redeemed himself on the third delivery by uprooting Kusal Mendis’s off-stump for a first-ball duck with a searing inswinger.

Haris Rauf removed Pat­hum Nissanka and Danu­shka Gunathilaka in successive overs while Iftikhar Ahmed took a sharp return catch to cut short Dhanan­jaya de Silva’s knock of 28.

Pathum Nissanka attempted to play his shots in the first six overs of power play, but miscued Rauf and was caught at mid-off.

Rauf sent the off stump cartwheeling in his second over to send Danushka Gunathilaka trudging back to the pavilion as Sri Lanka slipped to 36-3.

Wickets kept tumbling with De Silva’s innings cut short by Iftikhar Ahmed on 28 and skipper Dasun Shanaka bowled by leg-spinner Shadab Khan on two as a packed crowd, dominated by Pakistani, went delirious.

With Sri Lanka 67-5 at the halfway stage of their innings, Hasaranga (36) combined with Rajapaksa in their most productive partnership of 58 runs from 36 balls.

Rauf (3-29) removed Hasaranga, but Rajapaksa remained unbeaten after an incendiary knock that included three sixes and six fours.

Rajapaksa, who finished the innings with a four and six off Naseem in his 45-ball blitz, put on 54 runs with Chamika Karunaratne to further boost the total.

It was largely because of his scintillating knock that Sri Lanka plundered 103 runs from the last 10 overs.

Haris Rauf stood out with figures of 3-29 off his four overs of pace.

Early shocks

When Pakistan batted, Madushan claimed two wickets in two balls to rock the opposition.

Babar Azam was caught at short fine leg, while Fakhar Zaman dragged the next ball onto his stumps.

Madushan returned to dismiss Iftikhar (32) after the batsman had combined with Mohammad Rizwan (55) to revive their innings.

Hasaranga effectively derailed Pakistan’s chase when the spinner dismissed the dangerous Rizwan, Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah in the same over.

The victory would taste even better for Sri Lanka, who could not host the tournament at home because of a political and economic crisis in the island nation, though they retained the hosts’ honour.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA:

P. Nissanka c Babar b Haris8

K. Mendis b Naseem0

D. de Silva c&b b Iftikhar28

D. Gunathilaka b Haris1

B. Rajapaksa not out71

D. Shanaka b Shadab2

W. Hasaranga c Rizwan b Rauf36

C. Karunaratne not out14

EXTRAS (LB-7, W-2, B-1)10

TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs)170

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-2 (Mendis), 2-23 (Nissanka), 3-36 (Gunathilaka), 4-53 (de Silva), 5-58 (Shanaka), 6-116 (de Silva)

DID NOT BAT: M. Theekshana, P. Madushan, D. Madushanka

BOWLING: Naseem 4-0-40-1 (1w), Hasnain 4-0-41-0 (1w), Haris 4-0-29-3, Shadab 4-0-28-1, Iftikhar 3-0-21-1, Nawaz 1-0-3-0

PAKISTAN:

Mohammad Rizwan c Gunathilaka b Hasaranga55

Babar Azam c Madushanka b Madushan5

Fakhar Zaman b Madushan0

Iftikhar Ahmed c sub (Bandara) b Madushan32

Mohammad Nawaz c Madushan b Karunaratne6

Khushdil Shah c Theekshana b Hasaranga2

Asif Ali b Hasaranga0

Shadab Khan c Gunathilaka b Theekshana8

Haris Rauf b Karunaratne13

Naseem Shah c Karunaratne b Madushan4

Mohammad Hasnain not out8

EXTRAS (NB-2, W-12)14

TOTAL (all out, 20 overs)147

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-22 (Babar), 2-22 (Fakhar), 3-93 (Iftikhar), 4-102 (Nawaz), 5-110 (Rizwan), 6-111 (Asif), 7-112 (Khushdil) 8-120 (Shadab), 9-125 (Naseem)

BOWLING: Madushanka 3-0-24-0 (4w, 1nb), Theekshana 4-0-25-1 (1w), Madushan 4-0-34-4 (3w, 1nb), Hasaranga 4-0-27-3, Karunaratne 4-0-33-2, de Silva 1-0-4-0

RESULT: Sri Lanka won by 23 runs.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2022