Dubai: Sri Lanka, a nation that has been craving for any bit of joy, got a big reason to celebrate on Sunday through their cricket team. Just when the country was searching for heroes, Bhanuka Rajapaksa's masterful unbeaten 71 off 45 balls and Wanindu Hasaranga's brilliant all-round show (36 off 21 & 3/27) demonstrated how one could turn adversity into opportunity as Sri Lanka walked away with the Asia Cup title by convincingly beating Pakistan by 23 runs.
The tournament was moved out of Sri Lanka to UAE because of the prevailing political and economic crisis.
On Sunday, they managed to restore their cricketing identity as a powerhouse from the Indian subcontinent. Known as the Lions, they were roaring again when Chamika Karunaratne knocked over Haris Rauf's stumps off the last ball of the match.
Rajapaksa came out to bat at 36/3 in the sixth over against a Pakistan pace attack that was breathing fire after Babar Azam won the toss and expectedly elected to bowl first. And when the left-hander deposited a Naseem Shah thunderbolt over the extra-cover fence off the last ball of the innings, he ensured Sri Lankan bowlers had a competitive total of 170/6 to defend.
281 Run-aggregate at 56.20 in six innings recorded by Mohammad Rizwan to set a record for most runs in a T20 Asia Cup competition, bettering Virat Kohli’s tally of 276 at an average of 92.00 in five innings in 2022.
4/34 Pramod Madushan has produced his best bowling performance in Twenty20 Internationals. He has become the first Sri Lankan bowler to produce a four-wicket haul in T20 Asia Cup final.
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