In a heart-stopping finish in Rawalpindi, Dushmantha Chameera produced a masterclass of death bowling, conceding just three runs in the final over to secure a dramatic six-run victory for Sri Lanka over Pakistan. The win books Sri Lanka’s place in the final of the T20I tri-series, where they will face Zimbabwe, and knocks the hosts out of their own tournament.
The match was a tale of two halves, defined by a blistering Sri Lankan start and a Pakistani fightback that fell agonizingly short, thanks to Chameera’s clutch performance.
Mishara & Mendis Set a Formidable Platform
Put in to bat, Sri Lanka knew a win was essential to advance, and they played with the requisite urgency. After a slow start, the innings ignited through a explosive 36-ball, 66-run partnership between Kusal Mendis (40) and the young Kamil Mishara.
Mishara was the standout, playing a mature and powerful innings of 76 off just 48 balls to anchor the innings. Cameos from the lower order then propelled Sri Lanka to a competitive total of 184 for 5, a score that seemed above par on the Rawalpindi pitch.
Chameera’s Early Onslaught and Late Heroics
The Sri Lankan victory was forged by Chameera, who delivered two devastating spells. With Pakistan’s openers looking comfortable, he single-handedly derailed the chase in his first two overs.
In a breathtaking display of pace and precision, Chameera ripped through Pakistan’s top order, taking three wickets for just three runs. He removed Sahibzada Farhan, the legendary Babar Azam for a duck, and Fakhar Zaman in quick succession, reducing Pakistan to a precarious 43 for 4.
Salman’s Valiant, Vain Fightback
Just as the game seemed lost, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha played a captain’s knock, scoring an unbeaten 63 to keep his team in the hunt. He built a crucial 56-run partnership with Usman Khan (33) and, with help from Mohammad Nawaz, brought Pakistan to the brink of an unlikely victory.
The equation came down to a manageable 10 runs needed from the final 6 balls, with the set Salman on strike. However, Chameera, entrusted with the ball, was ice-cool. After conceding three runs from the first three balls, he sealed the game with a series of perfect yorkers, taking a wicket and allowing no further runs to spark wild celebrations in the Sri Lankan camp.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka 184/5 (Mishara 76, Mendis 40; Abrar 2-28) beat
Pakistan 178/7 (Salman 63*, Usman 33; Chameera 4-20) by 6 runs.
