• Home
  • Match Hub
  • Asia Cup 2022 Final Sl Vs Pak Sri Lanka Decimate Pakistan By 23 Runs To Clinch The Trophy

SL vs PAK: Sri Lanka decimate Pakistan by 23 runs to clinch the trophy


image-l7xn4drzHasaranga produced a monumental performance (PC: Twitter)

Riding on Bhanuka Rajapaksa's match-winning knock and a stupendous collective bowling effort, Sri Lanka thwacked Pakistan by 23 runs in the Grand Finale to lift the Asia Cup 2022. With this, the Lankan lions won the Asia Cup title for the sixth time in their rich cricketing history. 

Rajapaksa-Hasaranga heroics power Sri Lanka to a competitive total

After being put into bat first, Sri Lanka got off to a disastrous start, losing three wickets with just 36 runs on the board in 5.1 overs. Dhananjaya de Silva looked flamboyant for his 21-ball 28, but his soft dismissal in the eighth over put Pakistan on the driver's seat. Soon, skipper Dasun Shanaka followed De Silva, making his way back to the dugout in the very next over. 

image-l7xjlqvxBhanuka Rajapaksa played a fabulous knock [PC: Twitter]

However, it was a magnificent counterattacking 58-run partnership between Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga that pulled the Lankan innings back on the track. 

Before being caught behind off Haris Rauf, Hasaranga contributed handy 36 runs, with five fours and one six. On the other hand, Rajapaksa guided the innings till the end, finishing with a brilliant 45-ball 71, with six fours and three humongous sixes. 

Haris Rauf starred with the ball for Pakistan. He bowled a stunning spell with the new ball and came back later to pick the crucial wicket of Hasaranga. Overall, the fiery fast bowler scalped three wickets, conceding 29 runs in his four overs. 

Madushan masterclass hands Pakistan a crushing defeat 

In response, Pakistan also started their innings on a poor note, as Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman were removed in two successive deliveries by Pramod Madushan in the fourth over. 

Then, Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed consolidated the innings brilliantly, stitching a vital 71-run stand for the third wicket. 

image-l7xmkqdtPramod Madushan bowled tremendously [PC: Twitter]

Iftikhar contributed 32 runs before being the third victim of Madushan. Although Rizwan piled up 55 runs, he took 49 deliveries for it, which proved costly for the Men in Green.

After Rizwan fell prey to Hasaranga, it was just a matter of time for the hosts to seize the game, as their valiant efforts eventually bundled out Pakistan for a meagre 147. 

Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka rotated his bowlers outstandingly. All Sri Lankan bowlers executed their plans superbly, paving the way for an epic victory. 

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka: 170/6 (20)
Bhanuka Rajapaksa 71* (45), Wanindu Hasaranga 36 (21);
Haris Rauf 3/29 (4), Iftikhar Ahmed 1/21 (3)

Pakistan: 147 (20)
Mohammad Rizwan 55 (49), Iftikhar Ahmed 32 (31);
Pramod Madushan 4/34 (4), Wanindu Hasaranga 3/27 (4)

Sri Lanka won by 23 runs. 


Also Read: What if... Shane Bond was not injury prone?