Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s innings of substance (71 not out off 45 balls) first brought about Sri Lanka’s recovery from a near-hopeless position. And once they gained the upper hand, the Sri Lankans kept Pakistan under a leash as they comprehensively won the final by 23 runs at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday to emerge champions of this Asia Cup.
Rajapaksa’s knock and his 58-run sixth-wicket stand with Wanindu Hasaranga (36 off 21 balls) played the primary role in rescuing Sri Lanka from a precarious situation, eventually propelling them to a challenging total of 170 for six on a sporting wicket after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl. Hasaranga (3/27) then played a significant role with the ball as well, striking thrice in the 17th over, dismissing Mohammad Rizwan (55), Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah, which practically sealed the game for Sri Lanka as they bowled Pakistan out for 147.
For a country that had been war-torn during the 90s and currently dealing with its worst-ever economic crisis, this achievement will certainly put a smile on the faces of its people. And for Dasun Shanaka and his teammates, they couldn’t have asked for a better tonic than an Asia Cup triumph in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.
A massive role was played by pacer Pramod Madushan (4/34) too, playing in what was only his second T20I. Keeping his place in the XI after impressing in the dress rehearsal of the final last Friday, Madushan ensured rival captain Babar Azam’s Asia Cup campaign remained a nightmarish one and then, off the next ball, he had Fakhar Zaman playing on to an outside off-stump delivery, pegging Pakistan back inside the Powerplay.
If those two wickets weren’t enough, Madushan delivered again in his next spell to break the third-wicket stand between Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed that had kept Pakistan’s hopes alive. Once that 71-run partnership was broken, Pakistan could never stage a comeback. Barring the Super Four game against India, Pakistan’s middle order has been a concern for them in this Asia Cup and their mindset in the final wasn’t any different as well.
Besides, when Haris Rauf (3/29) and Naseem Shah had Sri Lanka wobbling at 58 for 5 in the ninth over, skipper Babar’s field placings allowed Rajapaksa and Hasaranga some easy runs that helped the two batters settle down.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, one of the most consistent bowlers in the tournament for Pakistan, was given just one over to bowl, which was equally baffling. Sri Lanka, with their clean, superb catching made sure the door remained shut on Pakistan, who were also hurt by the two reprieves given to Rajapaksa in the 18th and 19th overs of the game. Rajapaksa was on 46 when Shadab Khan first dropped him.
The 25 runs he added after that turned out to be priceless, and Sri Lanka got almost everything right since then.
