How many times changed the scene of the match! The match was not in Sri Lanka's hands, it was in their hands. From there, an over by Shaheen Shah Afridi brought Pakistan into balance. When debutant Zaman Khan got off to a flying start in the last over, India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup final for the first time in history seemed destined. From there, Sri Lanka took the match out. They won by 2 wickets. With this victory in the unannounced semi-final, the hosts saw off Pakistan and qualified for the final.
The day started with rain. The rain, which the commentator Dominic Cork said, 'I have never seen such rain in Colombo!' The game started when the rain stopped. The rain was not the end! The match was more messed up a few times.
After winning the toss, Pakistan was in danger of batting. In the beginning, Fakhr Zaman returned, but after settling down, Babar Azam returned shortly. Fifty scoring Abdullah Shafiq also returned shortly after Babar. When Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Haris returned after a few overs, there was concern about Pakistan's 200 runs.
Pakistan not only removed that fear, but also got fighting capital. Its entire credit goes to Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed's 77-ball 108-run partnership. Although Iftikhar returned to 47 off 40 balls, Rizwan remained unbeaten and finally played an innings of 86 runs off 73 balls. Pakistan therefore got 252 runs on the scoreboard. However, the Duckworth Lewis Stern method reduced the Lankan target by one run to 252 runs in 42 overs.
Sri Lanka lost Kushal Perera early in reply. Then Pathum Nisanka returned with 77 runs. Still, the Lankans never felt like being knocked out of orbit. Kushal Mendis was standing on one side. His 100-run partnership with Sadira Samarawickrama took the Lankans closer to victory. Sadira returned by stumping on Iftikhar's ball. After that, Kushal formed another small pair with Asalanka. But he stopped 9 runs short of the century.
Shortly after this, Sri Lanka also lost captain Dasun Shanaka. But still they looked like the favorites of the match, at least till the 40 overs. In the 41st over, Shaheen Shah Afridi came to the ball, after which the scene changed. Dhananjaya de Silva and Dunith Vellalaghe returned two consecutive balls. That's how Pakistan came to the driver's seat.
The Lankans needed 8 runs in the last over. When the anointed Zaman Khan gave two runs in the first four balls, took the wicket of Pramod Madushan, then who else should be considered the favorite except Pakistan? The scene of the match, which was swinging like a pendulum, changed once again in the fifth ball. Charith Asalanka touches the corner of the bat as the ball goes out between the wicketkeeper and first slip, touching the boundary. It was then that the victory of the Lankans was assured. Asalanka completed the ceremony with two runs in the last ball.
With that, Sri Lanka sent Pakistan out of the Asia Cup.