Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets with 12 balls to spare in their second Super Four match of the Asia Cup 2025. Hussain Talat’s all-round heroics and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s three-wicket haul helped Pakistan stay alive in the tournament.
Pakistan won the toss and opted to field. Shaheen immediately vindicated his captain’s decision by striking twice in his first two overs, dealing major blows to Sri Lanka with the dismissals of Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka. Both batters had played significant innings earlier in this Asia Cup. Talat then struck twice in the eighth over, removing captain Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka.
None of the Sri Lankan batters looked particularly impressive, except for Kamindu Mendis, who scored a fifty off 44 balls, including three fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 113.64. Shaheen finished with figures of 3 for 28 in his four overs, while Talat and Haris Rauf took two wickets each.
Chasing a target of 134, Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman provided a solid start, adding 45 runs for the first wicket. However, Pakistan lost both openers in the same over. Soon after, Saim Ayub and Salman Agha were also dismissed, and Pakistan began to falter.
Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz then stitched together an unbeaten partnership of 58 runs off 41 balls to ensure Pakistan won the match comfortably. Talat stayed till the end, scoring 32, while Nawaz remained not out on 38. Talat was named Player of the Match.
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