Sri Lanka registered a four-wicket win over Pakistan in the second semifinal of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup after they chased the 131-run target with eight balls to spare at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium despite player of the match Fatima Sana’s 47 not out and four for 38 with the ball on Friday.
Fatima struck twice in her opening over – the second of the innings – removing Chamari Athapaththu and Sanjana Kavindi for five and a golden duck, respectively to give Pakistan a head-start in the defence of the target.
Pakistan then continued to keep a grip on the game with Sadia Iqbal dismissing Hasini Perera for three in the sixth over and Umm-e-Hani getting rid of Imesha Dulani (24, 21b, 4x4s) in the subsequent over to leave Sri Lanka at 33-4.
It was at this juncture that Harshitha Samarawickrama (36, 31b, 2x4s) and Kavisha Dilhari (33, 33b, 4x4s) stabilised Sri Lanka’s innings with a match-winning 67-run stand off 59 balls. The two had come together when Sri Lanka needed 98 off 82 balls and were both removed in the 17th over by Fatima with their team then needing 22 off 18.
A quickfire and unbeaten 25-run stand off 12 balls between Nilakshika Silva (18 not out, 10b, 3x4s) and Kaushini Nuthyangana (10 not out, 4b, 1×6) sealed the game for Sri Lanka in the penultimate over.
Earlier, Fatima had walked in to bat at the halfway mark with Pakistan 52-4, having lost Muneeba Ali, Ayesha Zafar and Sadaf Shamas for single digits, while Shawaal Zulfiqar (24, 16b, 2x4s, 2x6s) had fallen in the fifth over after getting a start.
Fatima’s unbeaten 47 off 36 balls included four fours and two sixes as she stitched two valuable stands with Gull Feroza (21, 32b, 1×4) and Tuba Hassan (12 not out, 10b, 1×4) to take Pakistan to a fighting total. She first put on 40 runs with Gull and then gathered 38 off 24 balls with Tuba as Pakistan took 47 runs off the final five overs of their innings.
For Sri Lanka, skipper Athapaththu and Chamudi Praboda picked up two wickets each, while Sugandika Kumari dismissed one batter.
Defending champions Sri Lanka will face India in the final on Sunday (6:30 pm UAE Time).
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by four wickets at Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Pakistan 130-5, 20 overs (Fatima Sana 47 not out, Shawaal Zulfiqar 24, Gull Feroza 21; Chamari Athapaththu 2-24, Chamudi Praboda 2-25)
Sri Lanka 134-6, 18.4 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 36, Kavisha Dilhari 33, Imesha Dulani 24, Nilakshika Silva 18 not out; Fatima Sana 4-38)
Player of the match: Fatima Sana (Pakistan)
Source: Khaleej Times