Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 5 wickets in a crucial Super Fours, 15th match of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, chasing down 134 with 2 overs to spare and securing an important win to stay in contention for the final.
Match Overview
Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first. Their bowlers capitalized early, restricting Sri Lanka to 133/8 in 20 overs. Shaheen Afridi was brilliant up front, while spinner Abrar Ahmed and Hussain Talat contributed with key wickets. The chase wasn’t straightforward, as Pakistan lost quick wickets, but Hussain Talat (Player of the Match) and Mohammad Nawaz formed a decisive unbeaten partnership to seal the victory at 138/5 in 18 overs.
Full Scorecard
Sri Lanka Innings
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 | c Farhan b Afridi |
| Kusal Mendis | 15 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 100.00 | b Rauf |
| Sadeera Samarawickrama | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 | c Nawaz b Afridi |
| Charith Asalanka | 12 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 92.30 | lbw b Talat |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | b Talat |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 18 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 180.00 | c Zaman b Ahmed |
| Kamindu Mendis | 54 | 45 | 3 | 2 | 120.00 | b Afridi |
| Chamika Karunaratne | 17 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 121.42 | not out |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | not out |
| Extras | 5 | |||||
| Total | 133 | 20.0 | 8 wickets |
Fall of Wickets: 13/1 (Nissanka), 27/2 (Mendis), 33/3 (Samarawickrama), 35/4 (de Silva), 58/5 (Asalanka), 87/6 (Hasaranga), 123/7 (Mendis), 133/8 (Karunaratne).
Pakistan Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Afridi | 4.0 | 21 | 3 | 5.25 |
| Haris Rauf | 4.0 | 22 | 2 | 5.50 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 4.0 | 18 | 1 | 4.50 |
| Hussain Talat | 3.0 | 23 | 2 | 7.66 |
| Faheem Ashraf | 3.0 | 28 | 0 | 9.33 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 2.0 | 19 | 0 | 9.50 |
Pakistan Innings
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman | 13 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 | lbw b Chameera |
| Farhan | 24 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 160.00 | c Mendis b Theekshana |
| Babar Azam | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 | lbw b Theekshana |
| Agha Salman | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 62.50 | b Hasaranga |
| Mohammad Haris | 13 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 52.00 | c Asalanka b Hasaranga |
| Hussain Talat | 32 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 106.66 | not out |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 38 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 158.33 | not out |
| Extras | 11 | |||||
| Total | 138 | 18.0 | 5 wickets |
Fall of Wickets: 45/1 (Farhan), 57/2 (Babar), 59/3 (Salman), 61/4 (Fakhar), 97/5 (Haris).
Sri Lanka Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dushmantha Chameera | 4.0 | 35 | 1 | 8.75 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4.0 | 22 | 2 | 5.50 |
| Binura Fernando | 2.0 | 20 | 0 | 10.00 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 4.0 | 29 | 2 | 7.25 |
| Chamika Karunaratne | 4.0 | 32 | 0 | 8.00 |
Key Moments and Statistics
- Pakistan started well but lost 4 wickets in quick succession, going from 45/0 to 57/4.
- Hussain Talat anchored the innings and was named Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.
- Mohammad Nawaz’s late blitz (38* off 24) sealed the deal, including three sixes in the 18th over.
- Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis played a lone hand with 54, the only significant contributor for his side.
- Shaheen Afridi’s 3-wicket burst in the powerplay set Sri Lanka back early.
Match Analysis
Pakistan’s clinical bowling performance put Sri Lanka on the back foot, with early breakthroughs from Afridi and Rauf. Sri Lanka recovered slightly with Mendis’ fifty but never set a challenging pace, ending at 133/8. In reply, Pakistan wobbled mid-innings with Hasaranga and Theekshana inflicting damage, but Talat and Nawaz’s partnership (58 runs off 41 balls) secured a confident win and revived Pakistan’s campaign.
Both sides needed this win to keep final hopes alive. Sri Lanka’s defeat makes their qualification unlikely if India beats Bangladesh next, as per tournament scenarios.
Final Thoughts
Pakistan demonstrated resilience under pressure, recovering from a collapse to win comfortably thanks to Talat and Nawaz’s partnership. Sri Lanka was let down by a lack of support for Kamindu Mendis and will rue missed opportunities. This result keeps Pakistan in the hunt for the Asia Cup final, setting up potential decisive fixtures ahead
