DUBAI: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Pramod Madushan all put in standout performances as Sri Lanka won the 2022 Asia Cup with a decisive 23-win over Pakistan on Sunday in the championship match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Sri Lanka has won the Asia Cup six times total in 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014, and 2022. Sri Lanka won the 2022 Asia Cup by defeating Pakistan twice, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan after losing their first game to Afghanistan.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa's stunning battling fifty (71 not out off 45) and Wanindu Hasaranga's aggressive knock (36 off 21) helped Sri Lanka reach a fighting total of 170/6 in 20 overs. During their time at the crease, Sri Lanka also received crucial contributions from Dhananjaya de Silva (28 off 21) and Chamika Karunaratne (14 not out off 14), in addition to Rajapaksa and Hasaranga.
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, Sri Lanka found a hero in Pramod Madushan, who helped his team gain the upper hand by dismissing Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman off successive deliveries, so Pakistan was unable to capitalise on that momentum.
Before Zaman chipped the ball onto his wicket, Babar initially flicked one straight to short fine, making it six straight T20I games without a fifty for him. Pakistan was in trouble at 22/2 after 3.3 overs, but the in-form Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed batted conservatively to spearhead the turnaround for their team.
Rizwan consistently selected critical borders to keep the scoreboard updated. However, Iftikhar, who received a break in between, was also providing the crucial assistance as Pakistan was 68/2 after 10 overs.
Despite Pakistan maintaining a lead in wickets, the required rate was increasing with each passing over. Iftikhar gave the run-chase some much-needed momentum by hitting Hasaranga for a crucial six and boundary. With the fielder at deep backward square getting under the ball and holding it safely, he attempted to do the same against Madushan but the ball only gained height rather than distance, leaving Pakistan at 93-3 after 13.2 overs.
From that point on, Pakistan needed to accelerate quickly, but Sri Lanka bowled and defended superbly. They increased the pressure while also speeding up the necessary run rate as they dried up the runs.
Mohammad Nawaz, an all-arounder, was defeated by Karunaratne by a score of 6. Pakistan needed 69 off 28 pitches to finish the game, and Rizwan was the designated batter.
After reaching his half-century, Hasaranga outwitted Rizwan, moving Sri Lanka closer to victory with the necessary run rate almost reaching the 16-run threshold. Hasaranga then removed Khushdil Shah for two and Asif Ali for a first-ball duck.
Finally, Haris Rauf (13), who had been out for 20 overs, was taken out by Karunaratne as Pakistan was bowled out for 147, suffering a 23-run defeat. The leading wicket-takers for Sri Lanka were Pramod Madushan (4/34) and Wanindu Hasaranga (3/27) while Chamika Karunaratne (2/33) and Maheesh Theekshana (1/25) both contributed with an important catch.
When Sri Lanka was given the opportunity to bat first, they got off to a horrible start, losing three wickets in the first power play against the superior pace bowling. Mendis was out in the first over after being slow to get his bat down to a good length delivery, being clean bowled by bowler Naseem Shah. Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva then hit a couple boundaries to show some fight back.
Haris Rauf, who Pakistan captain Babar Azam introduced into the attack, caused Sri Lanka to fall behind by dismissing Nissanka and Danushka Gunathilaka.
Nissanka launched a lofted shot on a rapid 146 kph delivery, but the ball only made it to mid-off, where Babar Azam made a wonderful diving catch. The pacer then removed Gunathilaka's stumps, leaving Sri Lanka at 36/3 after 5.1 overs and in serious difficulty.
Dhananjaya de Silva appeared the most at ease out of all the Sri Lankan batsmen, and it appeared that he would save his team from danger. But in the ninth over, Iftikhar Ahmed removed De Silva with a superb reflex catch off his own bowling.
And in the following over, Shadab Khan managed to get past Sri Lankan spinner Dasun Shanaka's line of defence. Shanaka attempted a reckless slog but was unsuccessful. Sri Lanka was in danger of being bowled with a score of 58/5 after 8.5 overs, but Rajapaksa and Hasaranga showed grit and launched a counterattack.
When facing spinners, Rajapaksa and Hasaranga appeared to be in control and each hit three boundaries off Shadab Khan. The Sri Lankan innings was then given a boost when Hasaranga blasted one boundary and a massive six over backward point.
36 off of 21 from Hasaranga alone. He struck the pacer for two fours before edging one to the keeper while being aggressive against Shadab, Hasnain, and now Rauf once more. But what this wicket has done is energise the game. It was all Pakistan up until the ninth over.
In keeping with his aggressive style, Hasaranga welcomed Haris Rauf with two boundaries before the pacer dismissed the batsman to end the match-changing, critical 58-run sixth-wicket stand. Rajapaksa was given the task of batting through the final over after Hasaranga was removed from the game, and he accomplished it flawlessly. In just 35 balls, he reached his half-century by hitting boundaries and sixes.
In order for Sri Lanka to have a great finish, Chamika Karunaratne and the left-hander both had capable help. Rajapaksa and Karunaratne both continued to bat without being dismissed, adding 54 runs in just 31 balls, and guiding Sri Lanka to 170/6 in 20 overs.
Iftikhar Ahmed (1/21), Shadab Khan (1/28), and Naseem Shah (1/40) were the other wicket-takers for Pakistan. Haris Rauf (3/29) was the best bowler for his team, taking three wickets.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan 147 all out in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 55, Iftikhar Ahmed 32; Pramod Madushan 4/34, Wanindu Hasaranga 3/27) by 23 overs (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 71 not out, Wanindu Hasaranga 36; Haris Rauf 3/29).
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