Pakistan’s Hussain Talat (L) plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Twenty20 international match against Sri Lanka at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets with 12 balls remaining in their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday night.
“The plan was to go and attack straight away, but I had to take some time, and the boundaries will come,” said the player of the match Hussain Talat, who took two crucial wickets and an unbeaten stand of 58 off 41 with Mohammad Nawaz from the 12th over onwards.
It was Nawaz who smashed three sixes and together their partnership produced five fours. It was Talat, who provided the calming presence so that Nawaz could finish the job.
“There was a lot of humidity and my energy was low,” Talat explained during the post-match ceremony. “But hats off to Nawaz on how he finished the match.”
He added that he was working hard on his bowling, and that translated into a good performance against Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Skipper Charith Asalanka admitted that the surface on the pitch looked very good for his side; however, Pakistan were bowling and fielding beyond their expectations, and they lost to a better side on the night.
The captain of the victorious side, Salman Ali Agha, praised Shaheen Shah Afridi for his brilliant spell that helped Pakistan pick three crucial wickets, while he also expressed his delight with Talat’s performance, along with appreciating Abrar Ahmed, who he said always come in handy in tough situations.
However, he accepted that Pakistani batters did not have a good start, ” I can’t say it was a it was perfect game, we lost four wickets in 10-12 overs, we are struggling with that.”
But he noted the effect of Shane McDermott, the Australian fielding coach, who was recently appointed to the Pakistan men’s cricket team.
“To be honest, since Shane came to Pakistan camp, we have been working very hard with him.
He added that the hard work they put into training for the event showed during their match with Sri Lanka.
What does this win mean for Pakistan?
The win gave Pakistan a fighting chance to qualify for the Asia Cup final, as they moved to second place on the table with two points, replacing Bangladesh, thanks to a slightly better net run rate.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka lost their opening matches in the Super Four stage.
Pakistan were outplayed by India by 4 wickets on Sunday, while Sri Lanka lost to Bangladesh by four wickets.
The Men in Green will play Bangladesh in their next match on September 25.
India will take on Bangladesh on September 24.
The Indian team will also wrap up the Super Four stage with a match against Sri Lanka on September 26.
The top two sides will play the final of the Asia Cup 2025 on September 28.
Pakistan batters struggle to stay on the pitch
Despite a powerful start by Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan’s chase of 134 runs became a burdensome affair against Sri Lanka in their Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday night.
Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis (C) successfully appeals for leg before wicket (LBW) against Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha (R) during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four Twenty20 international match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. PHOTO: AFP
The Pakistani openers successively fell to mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana in the sixth over.
Meanwhile, Wanindu Hasaranga added to the injury with another two quick wickets in his second over for the Sri Lankan spin attack.
Hasaranga dismissed Saim Ayub first and then Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha on lbw in his 1.1 overs, leaving the Greenshirts limping at 63/4.
Muhammad Haris came on the pitch in the eighth over.
He was aiming to stay on the pitch with Hussain Talat as they searched for a decent partnership of at least 30 to 50 runs without losing another wicket.
But he was soon sent back to the dugout by Dushmantha Chameera, and Pakistan struggled at 82/5.
Pakistan limit Sri Lanka to 133-8
Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to 133-8 thanks to their pacers led by Shaheen Afridi and Hussain Talat.
Pakistan won the toss and skipper Salman Ali Agha chose to field first as the Greenshirts fight for their place in the Asia Cup 2025 final.
Agha believed that fielding first would benefit his side as he thinks the pitch will not change much. He also said that he wants to set the tone with the bowlers first.
Shaheen took three wickets, dismissing openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis in the first two overs and then took out Kamindu Mendis in 18.4 overs on lbw.
Meanwhile, Hussain Talat was effective in sending Captain Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka in crucial moments.
Haris Rauf was a happy man with two wickets as well, and Abrar Ahmed was successful in picking one wicket.
Quick fall of wickets
Sri Lanka struggled to put up a competitive total.
Abrar Ahmed took out Wanindu Hasaranga in 12.1 overs.
Sri Lanka are reduced to 62 for 5.
Pakistan took their fifth wicket as Dasun Shanaka is out in 7.3 overs for a duck on Talat’s ball. Two in two for Talat.
The fourth Sri Lankan wicket that fell was Charith Asalanka’s, as he was trying to find a four in the 7.2 overs.
Salman Ali Agha’s decision to field first is paying off well as Pakistan dismissed Kusal Perera on Haris Rauf’s ball. Caught by Faheem Ashraf in 5.2 overs.
Their big three batters have been sent back to the pavilion.
Sri Lanka are still not shying away from big shots; they carry on at 53 for three.
The openers came on the field after the national anthems.
Pakistan saw their first success immediately in the first over when they dismissed Sri Lankan opener and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis 1-1 on Shaheen Afridi’s ball, Talat caught it comfortably. Afridi took his second wicket as Pathum Nissanka, in 2.2 overs.
As the openers came on the field after the national anthems, Pakistan saw their first success immediately in the first over when they dismissed Sri Lankan opener and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis 1-1 on Shaheen Afridi’s ball, Talat caught it comfortably.
Head-to-head
Pakistan leads Sri Lanka in the overall T20I record; however, the Lions have been the dominant side over the last six years.
Pakistan have beaten Sri Lanka 13 out of 23 times, but their last T20I win against the Lions came in 2019.
What’s at stake?
That result has left Pakistan in a tricky position. To qualify directly for the final, Salman Ali Agha’s men must beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday and then overcome Bangladesh on Thursday. They would also need India to defeat Bangladesh in their remaining Super Four fixture.
However, if Pakistan loses against Sri Lanka, they will not be knocked out straight away but will then rely heavily on other results. In that scenario, they would need India to beat both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while also defeating Bangladesh themselves by a big margin to stand a chance of reaching the final on net run rate.
For Sri Lanka, a win against Pakistan would strengthen their chances, though they too might still need favorable results to book a spot in the title clash. Bangladesh, after their dramatic win, remains very much in the hunt as well.
The qualification picture will become clearer when Pakistan faces Sri Lanka on Tuesday in what is shaping up to be a must-win clash for both sides.