Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in Asia Cup final to complete a fairytale
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in Asia Cup final to complete a fairytale: The people of Sri Lanka patiently waited until the last of the pyrotechnics had faded from the sky, and the last of the golden confetti had glistened in their hair.
When Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed on the second ball of the last over, victory was all but assured. Nonetheless, the players waited until the final ball was bowled before letting out any signs of pleasure or joy.
Half a dozen players jumped into the stands to grab flags from the fans at the exact time Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 23 runs to win their sixth Asia Cup.
They then rushed around the pitch, waving the flags in celebration. The coaches were letting wild up there, jumping around and punching the air.
Squad
The players released all their emotions, came rushing out in waves, danced, and raced in circles, vibrating with adrenaline. They ran like children, arms outstretched and faces aglow with excitement. There was wonderful mayhem, a feeling that all of this was simply a dream, not a slice of reality.
They had arrived as strangers only two weeks before. They were written off after their first game, a severe loss to Afghanistan. They squeaked and scurried by rivals, fighting to stay in the game with the ferocity of a squad that knew its moment to do so had come and gone.
The road they’ve traveled has been that difficult. But by the end, they had built up an insurmountable head of steam. By repeatedly trouncing Pakistan, who were then able to pass each and every test they were presented with, we can say that this team is unbeatable.
The final was a cakewalk in comparison to the nail-biting finishes they had to endure.
Initial play
They had a shaky start, their middle order fell apart, and they became confused when Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed retaliated, but they had seen so much worse that it didn’t phase them. Not at all, considering the partnership of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan yielded only 22 runs while attempting to score 171.
But in the fourth over, tragedy struck when Pramod Madusan, playing in only his second T20 game, took out Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman with two consecutive deliveries.
Babar, who had a rough tournament overall, just hit a pull shot to the fine-leg fielder who was hugging the inside of the circle. Babar attempted to glide the ball where a less deft hitter would have flailed it over midwicket.
The next ball didn’t sound the alarm, even when it was a wicket. Zaman was caught off guard by the in-between length and ended up dragging the ball onto the stumps as he pushed forward.
The Sri Lankan team played with an unrelenting burst of energy, constantly charging the wickets and stepping up their effort on the field.
With their drums and whistles, the spectators in the stands turned Dubai into a little Colombo. In this case, Pakistan had not yet capitulated; the country rarely gave up without a struggle. especially in the presence of Mohammad Rizwan.
He fought valiantly despite being outnumbered, absorbing blow after blow yet remaining unbowed. Before imploding in a true Pakistani manner, it appeared to be a comeback of epic, nay Pakistani, proportions.
They lost four wickets—Ifthikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, and Mohammad Rizwan—in just 19 balls. But there was no room for a miraculous recovery this time.
Rizwan
Wanindu Hasaranga was once more the primary aggressor. The greatest and only hope was Rizwan, and he threw him out. After putting him under intense strain, he used an enticing ball to get him to break the rules.
With Pakistan needing nearly 11 runs per over to win, Rizwan saw an opening and elected to slog-sweep. Since he is so skilled at varying his pace and length, very few batters are able to slog-sweep him.
Rizwan had to draw the ball from beyond the off-stump, and it was faster and fuller than he had anticipated. Each time, he managed to slice the ball in midair. His next ball, a brilliantly tossed up wrong’un, slashed through Asif Ali’s wide slog sweep like a knife through butter. In a blink, they plunged to 111/6 and then 125/9.
But the change was not Hasaranga alone. Or really, any one particular person. This competition featured many outstanding players, from the brilliant skipper Dasun Shanaka and the reborn Kusal Mendis to the inexperienced Pramod Madushan and the left-arm seamer Dilshan Madhushanka.
Alternatively, you might always rely on Pathum Nissanka. A win for the qualities that define this group. Sri Lanka simply had more drive and energy.
Despite losing the toss and being ordered to bat first, they continued to win all four games in the series by chasing on a ground where teams batting first had won eighteen of the previous twenty-one games. They were the better fielders, jumped onto catches, and aborted boundaries with a tigerish flair.
Pakistan, on the other side, dropped catches, missed boundaries, and bumped into teammates. They withstood top-order and middle-order collapses, but they did not wilt. Again, the hero would appear out of nowhere, as has been customary. This time Bhanuka Rajapaksa was the one who came through with an unbeaten score, as he batted for 71.
Comment
So much was made public by Chamika Karunaratne. We were completely out of the picture a year and a half ago. We have a new, younger team now. Incredibly happy and healthy right now. We’ve vowed to prove ourselves in battle. It took a lot of effort. Participants extended their capabilities to the fullest. He commented on the team’s effort, saying, “They pushed themselves every time.” Their blood, sweat, and happy tears have left an indelible mark on the dunes of Dubai.
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