Asianet NewsableAsianet Newsable

Women's Asia Cup 2022: Sri Lanka's victory dance after last-ball thriller against Pakistan wins hearts

Sri Lanka women's team defeated Pakistan by one run in a nail-biting semi-final of the Women's Asia Cup T20 2022 to set the final date with India. Following this win, the team performed a victory dance that won the hearts of cricket lovers.

Womens Asia Cup 2022: Sri Lanka's victory dance after last-ball thriller against Pakistan wins hearts final against india snt
Author
First Published Oct 13, 2022, 6:35 PM IST

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by one run in a nail-biting clash in Sylhet to enter the Women's T20 Asia Cup final. Chamari Athapaththu's team will now face India on Saturday in what is expected to be a close contest. Harmanpreet Kaur and company entered the summit clash by defeating Thailand by 74 runs in Thursday's first semifinal.

Sri Lanka chose to bat first and amassed 122 runs in 20 overs while losing six wickets, with Harshitha Madavi leading the way with a 41-ball 35. Sri Lankan women's team captain Athapaththu and Anushka Sanjeewani got the team off to a strong start, while the other batters chipped in with valuable contributions.

Also read: Women's Asia Cup 2022: 'I'm more confident about my game now but will keep working' - Harmanpreet

When Pakistan fancied its chances with the bat during the run chase, Nashara Sandhu starred with the ball for Sri Lanka, taking three wickets. Skipper Bismah Mahroof top-scored for the team with a 41-ball 42, while the other batters centred around her and made significant contributions. 

Pakistan required 9 runs from the last over, and Sri Lanka's Achini Kulasuriya held her nerve. Nidar Dar was run out, with Pakistan needing three runs from the final delivery. Sri Lanka finally made it into the Asia Cup T20 final after 14 years with a one-run win.

After their impressive victory, Sri Lanka women celebrated the win over Pakistan with a traditional dance that has gone viral. Here's a look at the team's victory dance:

After sealing their final spot, Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu said, "Lots of pressure but we stuck by the bowlers. I always thought that my bowlers could do a good job. We changed the batting order to change a few things. After 14 years, we are in the Asia Cup final, that's good for us. First six overs they batted well, openers did well but we stuck to our plans. We knew that after six overs, it isn't easy to hit boundaries, so just stuck to our plans. Kavisha is a fighter, she handles pressure well. Dropped the catch but got the run out which was important."

Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof stated, "It was a very good game. Both teams played good cricket. It was a good wicker and we controlled it well. We came close but couldn't finish things. It was a good experience for us, lots of positives and this is a good learning for us."

Sri Lanka will now face India in the Women's Asia Cup 2022 final on Saturday (October 15).

Also read: Women's Asia Cup 2022: India thumps Thailand by 74 runs to enter Final comfortably, fans delighted

Follow Us:
Download App:
  • android
  • ios