The chairman of the organisation, C. Kamantha Thushara, complained that there is a serious suspicion over match fixing as Sri Lanka was all out for 50 runs within just 15.2 overs…reports Asian Lite News
Cricket fans and anti-corruption activists have demanded for a police probe on malpractices and alleged match fixing over Sri Lanka’s humiliating defeat against India at the Asia Cup final on Sunday.
A civil rights organisation, Citizen Power Against Bribery, Corruption and Wastage filed a complaint at the Police Headquarters in Colombo alleging that there is a serious suspicion over Sri Lankan cricketers’ performance and specially getting out for such a small number of runs.
The chairman of the organisation, C. Kamantha Thushara, complained that there is a serious suspicion over match fixing as Sri Lanka was all out for 50 runs within just 15.2 overs.
“Within 19 minutes in 15 overs, 50 runs were scored. This is one run per over in the 50 over game. There are suspicions in the way the cricketers play in that game. While fans were at the queues to enter the ground, the match was over,” Thushara charged.
“We are suspicious about Sunday’s game and we want an immediate investigation. With an extensive investigation including telephone conversation recordings of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials and players should be done. Cricket has become a gamble that was ruled by money. The SLC is corrupt and there is a responsibility on the Sports Minister to investigate on this,” the organisation complained.
“If a school team played, there would have been much more runs in the scoreboard,” the chairman charged.
While India recorded the eighth and the most Asia Cup ODI victories, Sri Lanka recorded the lowest-ever total in the Sub Continent tournament.
In a low-scoring thriller, India fought back after being bundled out for 213 by defeating Sri Lanka by 41 runs in the fourth match of the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup and sealed a place in the final…reports Asian Lite News
Rohit Sharma’s India team came up with a superb bowling display to defend a small total and end Sri Lanka’s 13-match winning streak in One-Day Internationals (ODI) here at R. Premadasa Stadium, here on Tuesday.
In a low-scoring thriller, India fought back after being bundled out for 213 by defeating Sri Lanka by 41 runs in the fourth match of the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup and sealed a place in the final.
The 213-run target wasn’t easy to chase on this pitch, which was tricky to bat on. The chase wasn’t good for the Lankans as they lost the wicket of Pathum Nissanka in the third over, after which they lost two more wickets in the Power-play.
Two of these three wickets were claimed by pacer Jasprit Bumrah while Mohammad Siraj bagged the third.
Charith Asalanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama added 43 runs for the fourth wicket before Kuldeep Yadav came into action and got rid of both batters in consecutive overs.
However, Sri Lanka again found back through an outstanding partnership between Dhananjaya De Silva and Dinuth Wellalage for the seventh wicket. The pair added 63 runs in the late fightback and dragged Sri Lanka close to victory, needing 44 runs off 55 deliveries.
The lone warrior Dinuth Wellalage battled till the end as the wicket tumbled at the other end. The 20-year-old’s resilient inning was the centrepiece of the match for Sri Lanka as it came after the young spinner had rattled India with his maiden five-wicket haul. The brilliant performance earned him praise from Virat Kohli during the post-match handshake.
In the end, it was the spinners who turned the tables for India, as Jadeja took a wicket and Kuldeep wrapped up the match by taking two wickets in the end. He finished with dominating figures of (9.3-0-43-4).
Earlier in the day, India batted first on winning the toss and posted a below-par score of 213 runs on a tricky pitch that was very challenging to bat. Rohit Sharma showed his brilliant batting skills and got his second consecutive half-century in the tournament.
Apart from him, K.L Rahul yet again batted with purpose in the middle overs and scored 39 runs.
It was a historic day for Sri Lankan spinners as India were bowled out by spinners for the first time. The Sri Lankan trio of Dimuth Wellalage (5-40), Charith Asalanka (4-19), and Maheesh Theekshan shared all the 10 wickets in the Indian innings.
For his terrific all-round performance, Wellalage was declared ‘Player of the Match as he claimed 5-40 and then top-scored for Sri Lanka with 42.
Wellalage said, “First of all I want to congratulate the Indian team. Unfortunately, we lost the match today, but we have one more game to make it to the final. Kuldeep Yadav is a great bowler, but I tried to play my normal game and stay positive. [How were you feeling?] From a small age, I worked hard and had a positive mindset. Want to thank my teammates and supporting staff.”
Winning captain, Rohit Sharma said, “It was a good game. For us also to play a game like that under pressure. Challenged a lot of aspects of our game. We definitely want to play on pitches like to see what we can achieve. [Hardik] He’s worked hard on his bowling over the last couple of years, and it’s pleasing to see how he bowled that spell. Not an easy target to defend. The pitch got slightly better towards the end so we had to hold our nerve and bowl consistently.
Losing captain, Dasun Shanaka said, “We didn’t expect this kind of a wicket, but after the first 10 overs we came into the match brilliantly with the spinners. The luxury of the two genuine batters bowling is great, They’ve done well in the nets but it was great how they performed.”
Brief scores:
India 213 all out in 49.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 53, K.L. Rahul 39; Dunith Wellalage 5-40, Charith Asalanka 4-18) beat Sri Lanka 172 all out in 41.3 overs (Dinuth Wellalage 42, Dhananjaya De Silva 41; Kuldeep Yadav 4-43, Ravindra Jadeja 3-33, Jasprit Bumrah 2-30) by 41 runs.
Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav played a pivotal role, claiming five wickets for just 25 runs, securing India’s biggest-ever win over Pakistan (by runs) in One Day International (ODI) cricket…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s massive 228 runs-crushing defeat against archrival India on Monday in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup has left them behind Sri Lanka in the points table.
Chasing an unnerving target of 357 runs, Pakistan tumbled down very early. The Indian duo of K.L. Rahul and Virat Kohli hit centuries after a solid start by the Indian openers.
Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav played a pivotal role, claiming five wickets for just 25 runs, securing India’s biggest-ever win over Pakistan (by runs) in One Day International (ODI) cricket.
After the humiliating loss against India, Pakistan are in a do-or-die situation to qualify for the Asia Cup final, needing favours from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan now have only one match remaining in the Super 4 stage, against Sri Lanka on Thursday (September 14) which is a must-win game for them. But along with that they will also need Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to lose their matches to India to pave their way into the summit clash.
India secured the top position in the Super 4 standings after a memorable victory and can cement their spot in the final with a victory over Sri Lanka, here on Tuesday. If this happens Bangladesh will be out of contention, and, the winners of the Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka game on Thursday will then face India in Sunday’s final.
In case of a washout on Thursday, the team with the better net run rate between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will make the final
As per the current standing, Sri Lanka hold the second position firmly courtesy of a better Net Run Rate (+0.420) as compared to Pakistan (-1.892).
India now lead Sri Lanka by 207 runs in the NRR. Therefore, even if they lose on Tuesday by, say, 100 runs, they will still have a higher NRR than Sri Lanka. Pakistan need to close a gap of roughly 300 runs to pass India’s NRR. On that front, they stand a greater chance of surpassing Sri Lanka.
If Sri Lanka defeat India, Bangladesh may have a chance. But for that to happen, Bangladesh will have to defeat India handily, and Pakistan will have to lose to Sri Lanka. If Sri Lanka beat India by about 150 runs, Bangladesh will need to defeat India by about 125 runs to have an edge on NRR.
However, if Sri Lanka manage to upset India and Pakistan in the Super 4 stage, the reigning champion could secure their spot in the Asia Cup final.
If the fixtures on Tuesday and Thursday are both abandoned, then Sri Lanka will qualify for the final, and India will join them as long as they don’t lose to Bangladesh by more than 300 runs. And if all three matches from here on are called off, it will be an India vs. Sri Lanka final.
For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed (3-44) and Shoriful Islam (3-36) starred with the ball as they romped to victory….reports Asian Lite News
Mehidy Hasan Miraz (112) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (104) struck centuries as Bangladesh posted 334/5, their highest total overseas, and then bundled out Bangladesh for 245 and registered a big win against Afghanistan in a group stage match of Asia Cup 2023 here on Sunday.
Opener Mehidy Hasan scored 112 off 16 balls, raising 60 runs for the opening wicket with Mohammad Naim (28) and though Bangladesh lost Towhid Hridoy for a 2-ball duck, Mehidy and Najmul Hossain added 194 runs for the third wicket. The Bangla Tigers eventually posted a massive 344/5 in 50 overs, despite losing a few wickets in the final overs of their innings.
In reply, Afghanistan lost star batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz for one run but Ibrahim Zadran raised 78 runs for the second wicket with Rahmat Shah (33) and then added 52 runs for the third wicket with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (51) as Afghanistan reached 245 all out in 44.3 overs.
Ibraham Zadran completed his half-century in 52 balls, hitting eight boundaries while Hashmatullah Shahid scored his fifty off 54 balls. Shahid and Najibullah Zadran raised fifty runs for the fourth wicket in 43 balls. Afghanistan had their chances till these batters were at the crease but once they got out, the middle and lower order lost its way and they could manage only 245 runs.
For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed (3-44) and Shoriful Islam (3-36) starred with the ball as they romped to victory.
Earlier, Bangladesh scored runs at a fast clip, raising 60 runs in the first Power-play. Mehidy Hasan reached his half-century in 65 balls, hitting four boundaries and one six. He and Najmal Hossain Shanto raised 100 runs in their third-wicket partnership off 117 balls. Najmal Hossain reached his half-century off 57 balls, hitting six fours and one six.
Mehidy Hasan reached his hundred off 115 balls, hitting six boundaries and two sixes. He was eventually retired hurt at the score of 112 in the 43rd over, with Bangladesh t 257/2.
Najmul Hossain continued with his scoring spree as he completed his century off 101 balls, hitting nine boundaries and two sixes in the process. He was soon out for 104, going for a non-existent single after hitting a reverse sweep straight to the fielder at point. He tried to turn back but lost his footing and ended up stranded halfway up the pitch.
Mushfiqur Rahim (25 off 15) and skipper Shakib Al Hasan (32 not out off 18) played vital cameos as Bangladesh posted their best-ever score in an overseas match.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 334/5 in 50 overs (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 112, Najmul Hossain Shanto 104, Shakib Al Hasan 32 not out; Gulbadin Naib 1-58) beat Afghanistan 245 all out in 44.3 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 75, Hashmatullah Shahidi 51, Rahmat Shah 33; Taskin Ahmed 3-44, Shoriful Islam 3-36) by 89 runs.A
The 2023 Asia Cup will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka with the tournament running from August 30 to September 17….reports Asian Lite News
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced a strong 17-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 which will begin on August 30 with Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul returning to the squad and Tilak Verma also getting a place in the team
The 2023 Asia Cup will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka with the tournament running from August 30 to September 17.
Asia Cup will serve as an important benchmark for India’s preparations for the World Cup starting in October and will also help selectors make choices for the marquee event.
India will open their Asia Cup campaign with an iconic clash against Pakistan on September 2 in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been appointed Rohit Sharma’s deputy in Asia Cup 2023.
The squad also marks the return of Jasprit Bumrah to ODI cricket after a gap of more than one year. After proving his fitness in the ongoing T20I series against Ireland, Bumrah is set to test himself in the 50-over format heading into the World Cup. India’s pace attack will be boosted by the return of Mohammed Siraj, who was not the in the team for some time due to a sore ankle.
Tilak Varma made it to India’s Asia Cup squad on the back of his strong performance against West Indies during the tour that ended this month.
A big question ahead of Team India’s selection meeting for the Asia Cup 2023 was the fitness of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Both have made it to the squad.
Bowling all-rounders Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are also in the squad to give the captain more diversity in choices. Apart from Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja is also in the team as an all-rounder.
The tournament will kick off with a clash between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan, Pakistan.
Pakistan, India and Nepal are in Group A while Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are in Group B. The tournament will follow a hybrid model with Pakistan hosting four matches across two venues and Sri Lanka hosting the remaining games.
The six group-stage matches will be followed by the Super fours, beginning September 6.
The final will be played by the top two teams at the end of the Super fours on September 17 in Colombo.
Team India chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that fitting in two wrist spinners in the current set-up was proving to be difficult for the Asia Cup, which is why Yuzvendra Chahal was omitted from the squad and Kuldeep Yadav is currently ahead of him in the scheme of things.
Agarkar said this while addressing a press conference with skipper Rohit Sharma here, and announced the Asia Cup 2023 squad.
“Axar Patel has done really well. He can bat too. Kuldeep Yadav has had a fantastic run to this point. So someone had to miss out. Kuldeep is currently a little ahead of him (Chahal), said Agarkar in the conference.
Kuldeep has had a fantastic 2023 in white-ball cricket, taking seven wickets in three matches with the best figures of 4/6 and eight wickets in seven T20Is, with the best figures of 3/28.
This year Chahal has taken three wickets in two ODIs and nine wickets in nine T20Is.
Skipper Rohit said that the team had a discussion about an off or leg spinner. “But we also want someone who can bat at number eight and nine. Axar has had a great run with the bat in all formats and the IPL. He got some chances in West Indies too, but he bats too low. Him being there gives us batting depth, a left-hand option and someone who we can use up the order to play spin. We also thought of Ashwin (Ravichandran Ashwin) and Washi (Washington Sundar) as well. The only way we could include them was by having a seamer miss out. We cannot do this because seamers are going to be playing a massive role in the next two months.”
“But the door is open for all. If we need Chahal in World Cup, we will try to squeeze him in. The same goes for Ashwin and Washington,” he added.
The skipper said that established players returning from injuries cannot be neglected and the team management is having talks with non-regular players about where they stand.
“Players like Yashasvi, Tilak, Sanju and Suryakumar will have to wait for their opportunities. We have conversations about where they stand with players like these and they are well aware of where they stand,” he said.
The national selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will be forced to work around quite a bit to zero in on the Asia Cup squad that will also be the nucleus of the World Cup team… Shrikant Bhagvatula
With the recent experimentation by the team management with the Indian playing XI giving mixed results, the senior national cricket selectors will be in a fix when they sit down to finalise the squad for the Asia Cup 2023 and the Asian Games which follow it, which will be important stops on the journey to the ODI World Cup to be held later in the year.
The ICC ODI World Cup in October-November in India follows on the heels of the Asia Cup 2023, which will be held from August 30 to September 17 in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and the Asian Games in Hangzhou from September 23-October 8. It is apparent that the selectors will be left with little time to settle on their World Cup squad.
Thus the Indian squad for the Asia Cup will virtually be the one that would also represent the country in the World Cup — barring minor tweaks due to injuries, as the Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) has already named a different squad for the Asian Games.
The squads, by name, for the World Cup are to be submitted by September 5 and thus the selectors will have to firm up the squad a few days after the start of the Asia Cup, preventing the team management from conducting any more late experiments.
With injuries to key players in the last few months throwing a spanner or two in firming up the team for the World Cup, the Asia Cup will provide the players returning from injuries some game time and a chance to get match-fit.
Thus the national selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will be forced to work around quite a bit to zero in on the Asia Cup squad that will also be the nucleus of the World Cup team.
The team has got a boost thanks to the return from injury by pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, both of whom have been picked in the squad for the T20Is against Ireland. Bumrah is set to make a comeback to international cricket after being out since September last year because of a back injury and subsequent surgery while Prasidh Krishna too has been out since last year because of a stress fracture in the back.
Bumrah has been named India’s captain for the three-match T20I series against Ireland, which will be played in Malahide on August 18, 20 and 23. If Bumrah passes the Ireland fitness test, he will spearhead the Indian attack in the Asia Cup and try to get into top gear for the World Cup.
Prasidh has also done well with the ODI squad before the injury and a successful return against Ireland will further bolster the bowling department, which looks strong with several options available to the selectors.
With Mohammed Siraj virtually assured of his place in the squad and Bumrah back, the selectors will choose between Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mukesh Kumar and Jaydev Unadkat for the third pacer, unless they are confident Hardik Pandya will be able to bowl his full quota of 10 overs in all matches.
The major areas of concern for the team management and selectors in recent times have been the wicketkeeper-batter and middle-order. The main question that the selectors are facing is regarding wicketkeeper-batter K.L Rahul, who is expected to be fit for the Asia Cup. A few weeks back, the BCCI informed in a release that he has started batting.
Ever since Rishabh Pant suffered an accident and KL Rahul got injured, India have tried various options for wicketkeeper batter, giving opportunities to Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. Kishan has been the preferred choice and has got more opportunities and has done quite well, especially in ODIs, hitting a majestic double century (210) against Bangladesh in the third ODI at Chattogram in December last year. He struck half-centuries in all three ODIs against the West Indies in the series that ended last week.
Kishan’s success with the bat has been as the opener, which is also his preferred slot. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill slotted in as openers and Virat Kohli at No.3, Kishan has to be accommodated in the middle order. If Rahul gets fully fit, he will definitely get picked for the Asia Cup as it gives him a chance to play some matches before the World Cup.
In case Rahul is not fully fit, Ishan Kishan gets the nod ahead of Sanju Samson, who has also done reasonably well in the opportunities he has got and scored a half-century in the third ODI against the West Indies a few days back. But, just like K.L Rahul, Ishan Kishan, the Bihar and Mumbai Indians batter, can be a backup opener in case of need.
The other major area of concern for the team management is the middle-order batting. In the absence of Shreyas Iyer, the team management has tried Suryakumar Yadav for the main batter in the middle order but the experiment has not yielded the expected results. Yadav, known for his 360-degree batting in T20 cricket, has not been able to bring that expertise to the 50-overs game.
With Shreyas Iyer still doubtful for the Asia Cup, the selectors might have to give one last opportunity to Surya. But that does not leave them in a good spot because if SKY fails to make the most of those opportunities, it will leave the selectors in a hard place in case Shreyas Iyer is not available for the World Cup.
Hardik Pandya as the medium-pacer all-rounder and Ravindra Jadeja as the spinner-allrounder are virtually assured of their spots in the line-up but there are still concerns about whether Hardik will be able to bowl all 10 overs in all the matches in the Asia Cup and the World Cup?
With Jadeja getting picked as the spinner-allrounder, that leaves only one slot for a spinner in the playing XI, unless match conditions demand picking three spinners in the XI. The team management will have to choose between Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel, a like-for-like replacement for Ravindra Jadeja because of his better batting.
Whatever combinations the selectors work out for the Asia Cup, they will have their fingers crossed as the major experiments in recent times have not worked wonders and thus leaves the team management with issues to resolve. Though the return of K.L. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer solves many issues, the tricky question is whether they would be able to perform at their best soon after returning from a layoff. Only time will answer this conundrum.
Only Inoka Ranaweera (18 not out) and Oshadi Ranasinghe (13) could reach double figures for Sri Lanka in a disappointing batting show…reports Asian Lite News
Spinners and Renuka Thakur came up with a stellar show in restricting Sri Lanka to a lowly 65/9, before Smriti Mandhana smashed an unbeaten 25-ball fifty to help India clinch their seventh Women’s Asia Cup title, outplaying Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the title clash at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
On a pitch tailor-made for spinners to excel as the ball kept low and turned square, pacer Renuka Thakur shined with 3/5 in three overs while Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2/16) and Sneh Rana (2/13) had economical spells apart from Deepti Sharma conceding just seven runs in her four overs to keep Sri Lanka to 65/9.
In reply, Smriti played a stunning knock and finished it off in style with a six over long-on for an unbeaten 51 off 25 balls, laced with six fours and three sixes, to complete the chase with 11.3 overs to spare, in an innings where rest of Indian batters made 20 off 26 balls.
Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka had a horrendous start as captain Chamari Athapaththu ran herself out for a non-existent single in the third over. In the next over, Renuka broke the back of Sri Lanka’s innings by taking out Harshitha Madavi and Hasini Perera apart from another terrible run-out of Anushka Sanjeevani.
Renuka got her third wicket in the final over of power-play when Kavisha Dilhari missed a swipe across the line and was clean bowled to leave Sri Lanka at 16/5 in power-play. Post power-play, Rajeshwari and Sneh compounded Sri Lanka’s misery by sharing four wickets between themselves to keep them to 65/9.
Only Inoka Ranaweera (18 not out) and Oshadi Ranasinghe (13) could reach double figures for Sri Lanka in a disappointing batting show. In reply, Smriti began with a punchy drive through extra cover off Sugandika Kumari.
She then danced down the pitch to loft Oshadi inside-out over extra-cover and then followed it up with a pull through square leg. After Smriti lofted Inoka for a clean six over long-on, Shafali Verma tried to do the same, but came down the pitch too early and was beaten by turn as well as extra bounce to be stumped easily.
In the next over, Jemimah Rodrigues danced down the pitch early, but the ball kept low and went past her to hit the base of off-stump. The fall of back-to-back wickets had no effect on Smriti, who punched past a leaping cover and crunched through the gap off Kavisha for successive boundaries.
On a pitch where batters struggled to do well, she was hitting boundaries with immaculate ease. Smriti danced down the pitch again to lift Inoka over mid-off and thumped Oshadi over long-on to take a brace of fours. She finished off the chase and got her fifty by smacking a massive six over long-on off Oshadi for India to be Asia Cup 2022 champions.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 65/9 in 20 overs (Inoka Ranaweera 18 not out, Oshadi Ranasinghe 13; Renuka Thakur 3/5, Sneh Rana 2/13) lost to India 71/2 in 8.3 overs (Smriti Mandhana 51 not out, Harmanpreet Kaur 11 not out; Inoka Ranaweera 1/17, Kavisha Dilhari 1/17) by eight wickets.
Among all Sri Lankan batters, Dhananjaya de Silva looked most comfortable and it seemed he would bail his team out of trouble. But, Iftikhar Ahmed got rid of De Silva with a brilliant reflex catch off his own bowling in the ninth over…reports Asian Lite News
A collective impressive performance by Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga and Pramod Madushan led Sri Lanka to Asia Cup 2022 title with a clinical 23-win over Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, here on Sunday.
This is Sri Lanka’s sixth Asia Cup title — 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014 & 2022. After losing their opening game against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and then again Pakistan to clinch the 2022 Asia Cup.
An impressive fighting fifty by Bhanuka Rajapaksa (71 not out off 45) and an attacking knock by Wanindu Hasaranga (36 off 21) propelled Sri Lanka to a fighting total of 170/6 in 20 overs. Apart from Rajapaksa and Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva (28 off 21) and Chamika Karunaratne (14 not out off 14) also played vital knocks for Sri Lanka, during their stay at the crease.
Chasing a challenging total, Pakistan were helped by some wayward bowling of Dilshan Madushanka, who gave 12 runs in the first over rife with wides and uncontrolled swing. However, Pakistan couldn’t take advantage of that momentum as Sri Lanka found a hero in Pramod Madushan, who dismissed Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman off consecutive deliveries and helped his team get on top.
Babar, who now does not have a fifty in six T20I games on the trot, first flicked one straight to short fine before Zaman chopped the ball onto his wicket. At 22/2 after 3.3 overs, Pakistan were in a spot of bother, but the in-form Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed batted cautiously to lead the recovery for their team.
Rizwan was picking crucial boundaries at regular intervals to keep the scoreboard ticking. On the other hand, Iftikhar, who got a reprieve in between, was also giving the much-needed support as Pakistan were 68/2 after 10 overs.
Though Pakistan were keeping wickets in hand, the required rate was rising with every passing over. Iftikhar hit Hasaranga for a much-needed six and boundary to give impetus to the run-chase. He tried to do the same against Madushan but the ball only got the height not the distance, with the fielder at deep backward square got under it and held it safely, leaving Pakistan at 93-3 after 13.2 overs.
From there on, Pakistan needed to put the foot down on the accelerator but Sri Lanka bowled and fielded with excellence. They dried up the runs, increasing the pressure while upping the required run rate.
All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz couldn’t deliver the big hits, falling for 6 against Karunaratne. It was now up to Rizwan, who was the set batter to guide Pakistan home, as they needed 69 off 28 deliveries.
After bringing up his half-century, Rizwan was outfoxed by Hasaranga as Sri Lanka etched closer to victory with the required run rate almost touching the 16-run mark. Hasaranga then dismissed Asif Ali for a first-ball duck and followed it up with Khushdil Shah for 2.
Eventually, Karunaratne got the final scalp of Haris Rauf (13) as Pakistan were bowled out for 147 in 20 overs, losing by 23 runs. Pramod Madushan (4/34) and Wanindu Hasaranga (3/27) were the highest-wicket takers for Sri Lanka while Chamika Karunaratne (2/33) and Maheesh Theekshana (1/25) also chipped in with a crucial wicket.
Earlier, put into bat first, Sri Lanka were off to a terrible start, losing three wickets inside the power play against the quality pace bowling. In the very first over, pacer Naseem Shah clean bowled Mendis, who was late to bring his bat down on a quality length ball. Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva then hit a few boundaries to show some fight back.
However, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam brought Haris Rauf into the attack and he put Sri Lanka back in trouble by taking the wickets of Nissanka and Danushka Gunathilaka.
On a quick delivery at 146 kph, Nissanka played a lofted shot but the ball went only to mid-off, where Babar Azam took a good catch running back. The pacer then dismantled the stumps of Gunathilaka, to leave Sri Lanka in deep trouble at 36/3 after 5.1 overs.
Among all Sri Lankan batters, Dhananjaya de Silva looked most comfortable and it seemed he would bail his team out of trouble. But, Iftikhar Ahmed got rid of De Silva with a brilliant reflex catch off his own bowling in the ninth over.
And in the next over, Shadab Khan breached the defence of Sri Lanka spinner Dasun Shanaka, who went for a wild slog but couldn’t connect. With 58/5 in 8.5 overs, Sri Lanka were in danger of getting bowled but Rajapaksa and Hasaranga showed fighting spirit and did counter-attack.
Both Rajapaksa and Hasaranga looked in control against spinners and hit three boundaries off Shadab Khan. Hasaranga then slammed one boundary and a huge six over backward point to give impetus to the Sri Lankan innings.
From who else but Hasaranga — 36 off 21. He was aggressive against Shadab, Hasnain and now Rauf again, hitting the pacer for two fours before he edged one to the keeper. What this wicket has done though is brought the match alive. Up until the ninth over, it was all Pakistan.
Hasaranga continued his aggressive approach and welcomed Haris Rauf with two boundaries before the pacer dismissed the batter to break a crucial 58-run stand for the sixth wicket, which brought the match alive. After the wicket of Hasaranga, Rajapaksa had the responsibility of batting till the last over and he did that with perfection. He hit boundaries and sixes to complete his half-century in 35 balls.
The left-hander also got able support from Chamika Karunaratne, which was required for a strong finish for Sri Lanka. Both Rajapaksa and Karunaratne remained not out, added 54 runs off only 31 balls and took Sri Lanka to 170/6 in 20 overs.
For Pakistan, Haris Rauf (3/29) was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets to his name while Iftikhar Ahmed (1/21), Shadab Khan (1/28) and Naseem Shah (1/40) were the other wicket takers.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 170/6 in 20 overs (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 71 not out, Wanindu Hasaranga 36; Haris Rauf 3/29) beat Pakistan 147 all out in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 55, Iftikhar Ahmed 32; Pramod Madushan 4/34, Wanindu Hasaranga 3/27) by 23 overs
Chasing a challenging total of 184, Sri Lanka started off well, scoring 48 runs in the powerplay. But they soon found themselves in trouble at 77/4 in the ninth over…reports Asian Lite News
Former champions Sri Lanka held their nerve to qualify for Super Four of the Asia Cup here with a thrilling two-wicket win over Bangladesh in a crucial Group B match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, here on Thursday.
While Sri Lanka and Afghanistan qualified for Super Four from Group B, it was the end of the tournament for Bangladesh, who lost both their matches. On the other hand, India have qualified for Super Four from Group A and the winner of the clash between Pakistan and Hong Kong on Friday will take the final slot.
Chasing a challenging total of 184, Sri Lanka started off well, scoring 48 runs in the powerplay. But they soon found themselves in trouble at 77/4 in the ninth over.
However, Kusal Mendis, helped by a series of let-offs, compiled a half-century (60 off 37) and kept Sri Lanka in the game. Once Mendis got out, captain Dasun Shanaka had the task of keeping the momentum and he took Sri Lanka close to victory with his crucial knock (45 off 33) before getting out in the 18th over.
At 158/7 in the 18th over, Sri Lanka’s hopes appeared done and dusted but Chamika Karunaratne gave some lifeline to the innings with his 16 off 10. Just when it looked like he will take Sri Lanka home, a suicidal run cost Karunaratne his wicket in the fifth ball of the 19th over.
Though, the penultimate over eventually turned out to be a productive one for Sri Lanka, who managed 17 runs off Ebadot Hossain’s over to bring the equation in their favour.
Sri Lanka needed 8 runs from 6 balls and Theekshana took a single in the first ball of that final over. Debutant Asitha Fernando (10 not out off 3 balls) then hit a much-needed boundary which was then followed by two runs off the next ball.
Sri Lanka needed only 1 from 3 at that stage but it was then relayed to the on-field umpire that Mahedi had overstepped which gave the island nation a thrilling two-wicket win with two wickets in hand and four balls to spare. It was also the highest-ever successful run chase in UAE in T20Is, beating Afghanistan’s run chase of 180 against UAE in 2016.
Ebadot Hossain (3/51) was the most successful as well as an expensive bowler for Bangladesh while Taskin Ahmed (2/24), Mustafizur Rahman (1/32), and Mahedi Hasan (1/30) were the other wicket-takers.
Earlier, the whole first innings of the game ebbed and flowed with both teams throwing punches at each other but eventually, Bangladesh were successful in putting on a competitive total of 183/7 in 20 overs.
Put into to bat first, Bangladesh promoted Mehidy Hasan Miraz (38 off 26) to open the innings and he gave them a flying start. However, Sri Lanka fought back with wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs.
Afif Hossain then came on and took the game by the scruff of the neck and slammed his way to a 22-ball 39, giving impetus to the innings. He put up a 57-run stand off 37 balls for the fifth wicket before getting out in the 17th innings.
Mosaddek Hossain (24 not out off 9) and Taskin Ahmed (11 off 6) carried forward that momentum and smashed 24 runs off 11 balls for the eighth wicket to take Bangladesh to 183-7.
For Sri Lanka, Chamika Karunaratne returned with figures of 2/32, while Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva scalped 2/41.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 183/7 in 20 overs (Atif Hossain 39, Mehdiy Hasan Miraz 38; Chamika Karunaratne 2/32) lost to Sri Lanka 184/8 in 19.2 overs (Kusal Mendis 60, Dasun Shanaka 45; Ebadot Hossain 3/51) by 2 wickets.
The die-hard cricket fans can subscribe to the Cricket package on STARZPLAY at AED 24.99/month to enjoy Asia Cup 2022 and non-stop live cricket all-year-round….reports Asian Lite News
STARZPLAY, ranked among the region’s top three subscription video on demand services, will stream live the upcoming 15th edition of the DP World Asia Cup 2022 across the MENA region.
The upcoming tournament will be available as part of STARZPLAY Sports, as well as a standalone package ‘Cricket’ (formerly ‘PowerPlay’), for those who only wish to watch the DP World Asia Cup 2022 and other cricket series. All the matches will be streamed LIVE along-with highlights, pre-shows and post-match analysis, with full match replays.
evision, the entertainment streaming division of e& life, a business pillar of e& (previously known as Etisalat Group), and a majority stake holder in STARZPLAY, has acquired the exclusive broadcast and media rights across MENA. Cricket fans eagerly awaiting the much-anticipated game can now enjoy the cricket fiesta anytime, anywhere and from any device on STARZPLAY via evision’s flagship sports channel CricLife Max.
Danny Bates, Chief Commercial Officer, STARZPLAY, said: “Cricket is hugely popular in the region, especially amongst the South Asian diaspora and we are proud to bring the exciting Asia Cup to millions of fans across the region. The addition of Asia Cup further elevates our recently launched STARZPLAY Sports offering as we continue to invest more in sports, building the category into one of our core products. Our strategic priority is to ensure that the best sports entertainment is readily accessible to our subscribers across the MENA region at affordable prices and this prestigious win is another step towards this direction. We thank our partners at evision for their continued support.”
Olivier Bramly, Chief Executive Officer, evision said: “It is exciting to bring the DP World Asia Cup 2022 to all viewers on CricLife MAX after a four-year, pandemic hiatus. We have always been committed to delivering the best in sports and entertainment from local and international content providers. Increasing our footprint throughout MENA through STARZPLAY gives us the opportunity to enhance and expand our offerings for avid cricket fans. They will now be able to enjoy the games on our broadcast as well as digital platforms, giving them the flexibility to watch the cricket series from anywhere and at any time.” The tournament kicks off on August 27 and will conclude with the final on September 11. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are the confirmed teams, while Hong Kong qualified for the sixth spot after winning all their three matches in the qualifiers beating UAE, Kuwait and Singapore.
Asia’s biggest cricket rivalries will come face to face live on STARZPLAY starting August 27. The die-hard cricket fans can subscribe to the Cricket package on STARZPLAY at AED 24.99/month to enjoy Asia Cup 2022 and non-stop live cricket all-year-round.
STARZPLAY’s sports and entertainment content can be enjoyed through starzplay.com and the STARZPLAY mobile apps. Subscribers can enjoy the fantastic quality on their big screens via the STARZPLAY television app available on Android TV, Apple TV, Smart TVs, PS4 or through casting video from the mobile app to TV through AirPlay or Google Chromecast.
With thousands of hours of premium content including the best western content, Arabic shows, Turkish favourites, anime, and live sports, STARZPLAY is today one of the leading streaming platforms in the MENA region. The service is available in 19 countries across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan for fans to enjoy quality content anytime, anywhere, and from any device.
