KEY POINTS
- Sri Lanka posted 184, powered by Kamil Mishara’s 76 and Kusal Mendis’ quickfire 40.
- Pakistan’s bowlers struggled, conceding 13 extras despite Abrar Ahmed taking 2 wickets.
- Chasing 185, Pakistan fell short at 178 with Salman Agha top-scoring 63.
- Dushmantha Chameera took 4 crucial wickets, while Malinga claimed 2.
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: Sri Lanka narrowly defeated Pakistan by 6 runs in T20I Tri-Series, booking their place in the final scheduled for November 29 against the host Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Opting to field first, Pakistan immediately found themselves under pressure as Sri Lanka’s top order delivered a controlled yet aggressive innings.
Kamil Mishara stole the spotlight with a masterful 76 off 48 balls, including six boundaries and three sixes, anchoring the Sri Lankan innings.
Kusal Mendis added a quick 40 off 23 balls to keep the scoreboard ticking, while Janith Liyanage and captain Dasun Shanaka provided late-innings momentum, finishing the innings at 184/5.
Abrar Ahmed emerged as Pakistan’s pick of the bowlers, claiming two crucial wickets, while Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Faheem Ashraf supported with important breakthroughs.
Despite their efforts, Pakistan bowlers conceded 13 extras, allowing Sri Lanka to maintain a strong run rate of 9.20 throughout the innings.
Chasing 185, Pakistan began with promise but lost early wickets. Sahibzada Farhan fell cheaply and Babar Azam went on duck, leaving the middle order to rebuild.
Salman Agha played a captain’s knock of 63 off 44 balls, while Usman Khan (33) and Mohammad Nawaz (27) contributed valuable runs.
However, late wickets and tight Sri Lankan bowling kept Pakistan just short of the target, finishing at 178/7. Dushmantha Chameera claimed four wickets, with Eshan Malinga taking two key scalps, turning the match in Sri Lanka’s favour.
With this win, Sri Lanka now awaits the final showdown on November 29, Zimbabwe is eliminated, while Pakistan will reflect on missed opportunities and look to win the final of the tri-series on Saturday at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
