Pakistan captain Fatima Sana’s all-round effort went in vain as Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan in a Women’s Asia Cup semi-final for the third consecutive edition on Friday, chasing down their 131-run target with seven balls to spare to set up a final against India.
Fatima scored an unbeaten 47 off 36 balls and took four wickets, but Sri Lanka reached 134-6 with Harshita Samarawickrama leading the chase with 36 off 31 balls.
Sri Lanka opted to bowl after winning the toss, meaning Pakistan batted first for the fourth consecutive match in the tournament. Pakistan also fielded an unchanged XI for the fourth successive game.
Pakistan made a slow start, with opener Muneeba Ali falling to Sugandika Kumari in the second over, sending a simple catch to mid-off. Shawaal Zulfiqaar then accelerated, hitting Mithali Ayodhya for two fours and a six in the next over.
She then cleared long-on off Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu for six, but fell to the same bowler off the next delivery while attempting to play the ball fine. Wicket-keeper Kaushini Nuthyangana completed a sharp catch.
Ayesha Zafar joined Gul Feroza but lasted only eight balls, scoring seven before edging Athapaththu to the wicketkeeper while attempting a cut.
Sadaf Shamas was then stumped off Chamudi Praboda for eight off 11 balls, bringing Fatima to the crease.
Fatima and Feroza consolidated the innings with a 40-run partnership before Feroza was caught by Athapaththu at long-off off Praboda.
Fatima and Tuba Hassan then added 38 in the final four overs to take Pakistan to 130-6. Fatima battled cramps in the Dubai heat to remain unbeaten on 47, hitting boundaries off both Athapaththu and Kavisha Dilhari, while Tuba scored 12 off 10 balls.
Fatima strikes early
Fatima made an immediate impact with the ball, taking two wickets from two deliveries in her first over to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 5-2.
Athapaththu was caught at deep backward square before Sanjana Kavindi was dismissed off the next ball, sending a leading edge to midwicket.
Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani then steadied the innings, rotating the strike to take Sri Lanka to 31 before Sadia Iqbal struck. Perera miscued a delivery into the air, with Ayesha Zafar holding on to a well-judged catch.
Umm-e-Hani then removed Dulani to reduce Sri Lanka to 33-4.
However, Samarawickrama and Dilhari put Sri Lanka back in control with a 67-run partnership, taking the score to 100-4. The pair took the attack to Pakistan’s spinners, scoring briskly against Tuba Hassan, Ayesha Zafar and Nashra Sandhu.
Fatima returned to strike twice in her third over and complete her four-wicket haul. She dismissed Samarawickrama off the first ball of the 17th over before trapping Dilhari leg-before wicket off the final delivery.
Two boundaries between those wickets, however, ensured Sri Lanka remained in control of the chase.
Kaushini Nuthyangana and Nilakshika Silva then took Sri Lanka over the line. Nuthyangana hit the first six of her international career before Silva sealed victory with a four, both boundaries coming off Fatima.
The victory marked Sri Lanka’s third consecutive Asia Cup semi-final win over Pakistan, following their victories in the 2022 and 2024 editions.
“We have good players. If we can execute our plans in the final, we can beat any team,” Athapaththu said after the match.
Fatima, who was named player of the match for her all-round performance, said lapses in the field had cost Pakistan despite what she considered a defendable total. She also said the team needed to improve as a batting unit.
Sri Lanka will meet India in the final on Sunday in a repeat of the previous edition’s title clash.
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