Sri Lanka's thrilling last-over win shatters India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 final hopes

The much-awaited India-Pakistan final will have to wait, and so will Pakistan's Asia Cup 2023 journey as Sri Lanka secured their spot in the Asia Cup final 2023. Sri Lanka emerged victorious against the World number 1 ODI team in the rain-affected thriller played in Colombo that went down to the wire.

In the final, Sri Lanka will play India who are comfortably placed after their victories over Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

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The match

• In the first innings, when Sri Lanka reduced Pakistan to 130/5 before the second rain break, it seemed like a comfortable victory for the hosts.
• However, the rain altered the conditions, making it an exciting clash where Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed's partnership took Pakistan to 252/7 in 42 overs, a total that had seemed out of reach.

• Sri Lanka fought back with a spirited performance chasing 252 (DLS) in 42 overs, to set up a thrilling final-ball victory, winning by two wickets.
• Sri Lanka's batting lineup, led by Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama, staged a comeback, but Iftikhar Ahmed's off-spinners and Shaheen Shah Afridi's two crucial wickets at the end seemed to bring Pakistan back into contention.
• It was Charith Asalanka, though, who became the hero of the match, guiding Sri Lanka to victory with nerves of steel.

The match was only the second instance in ODI Asia Cup history where a team completed a run-chase on the very last ball.

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Road to the final

• Today, India is set to face Bangladesh in the final Super Four match before the final on Sunday (September 17). Bangladesh, having been technically eliminated, makes this encounter rather inconsequential.
• India might use this match to give a chance to players like Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Shreyas Iyer and in turn rest the key ones before the big final this weekend.
• Sri Lanka in the final, for the Indians, won't be an easy walkover as the hosts kept on playing good cricket without their top bowlers like Hasaranga, Chameera, Madhushanka and Lahiru Kumara.
• With India comfortably placed, Sri Lanka's journey to the Asia Cup final was anything but easy, but their collective effort propelled them to their 11th final appearance in the Asia Cup (ODI).

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