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Asia Cup 2022 Final, PAK vs SL: Sri Lanka clinches 6th title as netizens laud islanders' comeback

Sri Lanka tamed Pakistan on Sunday by 23 runs in the Asia Cup 2022 Final in Dubai. Thus, the Lankans have won their sixth Asia Cup title, while netizens were all-praise for the islanders bouncing bag on a big stage.

Asia Cup 2022 Final, PAK vs SL: Sri Lanka clinches 6th title as netizens laud islanders comeback, Pakistan disappointed-ayh
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First Published Sep 11, 2022, 11:38 PM IST

It was a test of nerves by the Sri Lankans, who passed with flying colours, taming the Pakistanis by 23 runs in the 2022 Asia Cup Final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. With this win, Sri Lanka has won its sixth Asia Cup title, as it stays the second most successful side in the competition after India (7). While Bhanuka Rajapaksa got the job done with the bat, with an unbeaten 71, with the ball, it was pacer Pramod Madushan, whose four-for was highly influential in handing the islanders the prestigious title. In the meantime, the netizens lauded the comeback of the Lankans on a big stage.

Winning the toss, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam opted to bowl. The Lankans were off to a hyper start, losing three for 36 by the sixth over of the Powerplay (PP). It was down to 58/5 by the ninth before Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga (36) put on a 58-run stand for the seventh wicket before pacer Haris Rauf dismissed the latter in the 15th.

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However, the Lankan batters did not slow down. Rajapaksa and Chamika Karunaratne (14*) added 54 more for the seventh wicket, as the former struck his third Twenty20 International (T20I) half-century, while the Lankans finished on 170/6. For the Pakistanis, Rauf grabbed three, while orthodox spinner Mohammad Nawaz was heavily economical.

In reply, Pakistan too began on an agitated note, losing a couple for 22 by the fourth. However, wicketkeeper-opener Mohammad Rizwan (55) and Iftikhar Ahmed (32) put on a 71-run stand for the third wicket to keep Pakistan in the chase. In the 14th, Madushan got rid of the latter.

ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2022 - 'The space that you gave me made me feel relaxed' - Virat Kohli to Rohit Sharma

In the 17th, the former departed to leg-spinner Hasaranga after he had struck his 16th T20I 50. However, Pakistan kept losing wickets regularly hereon, as the Lankan bowlers continued to apply pressure. With partnerships failing to build, Pakistan managed to drag the game onto the final ball, but to no avail, as it was bowled out for 147, thus handing the islanders a 23-run win and their sixth Asia Cup title. Madushan claimed a four-for, while off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva was economical.
Brief scores: SL 170/6 (Rajapaksa- 71*, Hasaranga- 36; Rauf- 3/29) defeated PAK 147 (Rizwan- 55, Iftikhar- 32; Madushan- 4/34) by 23 runs.

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