Spinners Dunith Wellalage (3 for 31) and Treveen Mathew (4 for 14) led Sri Lanka to a thrilling 22-run victory over Pakistan in their Under-19’s Asia Cup semi-final cricket fixture played at the ICC Academy Oval 1 Grounds in Dubai, yesterday. This was a low-scoring game, but the Sri Lankan team fought back strongly to seal the victory to enter the final today.
In this semi-final battle between Sri Lanka spinners and Pakistan batters, Mathew and Wellalage shared seven wickets among them to overturn the Pakistan innings with three balls to spare. As Pakistan chased a target of 148, Mathew made an early breakthrough to take the first three wickets to make Pakistan struggle with 10 runs for 3 wickets after 5.2 overs. They were under pressure with the Sri Lankan bowlers fighting back.
Number three batter Mohammad Shehzad (30) and Skipper Qasim Akram (19) added 32 runs at the third wicket stand. Akram was finally dismissed by leg spinner Raveen de Silva and Chamidu Wickramasinghe, who took the catch in the 19th over. Shehzad, who scored 30 in 75 balls, was bowled by off-spinner Shevon Daniel in the 26th over.
Pakistan was 91 for 6 wickets after 40 overs; they had to get 57 runs during the last ten overs. However, Skipper Wellalage took three wickets in a quick session to have the Pakistan team all-out for 125, with three balls to spare.
Earlier, Sri Lanka chose to bat first, but their top order was struggling with 64 for 5 wickets in 20.5 overs, while Pakistan paceman Zeeshan Zameer and Ahmad Khan did the early damage. When the total reached 70 for eight wickets after 23.2 overs, Sri Lanka’s Yasiru Rodrigo and Matheesha Pathirana made a fighting ninth wicket combination of 47 runs and later, last wicket, a 30-run partnership between Rodrigo and Mathew guided to repair the innings 147, all-out, in 44.5 overs. Pathirana scored 31 off 33 balls, while Rodrigo hit 31 off 81 balls.
Zeeshan Zameer was the most successful bowler of the match, finishing with 4 for 32, while Ahamad Khan and Awais Ali took two wickets each.
Meanwhile, in the other semi-final game played at Sharjah yesterday, India, who scored 243 for 8 wickets in 50 overs, defeated Bangladesh (140 all out in 38.2 overs) by 103 runs. Sri Lanka will meet India in the Asia Cup final today at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Chief scores
Sri Lanka under 19’s: 147 all out in 44.5 overs (Chamindu Wickramasinghe 12, Anjala Bandara 13, Sadisha Rajapaksa 11 Yasiru Rodrigo 31 *, Matheesha Pathirana 31, Treveen Mathew 12, Zeeshan Zameer 4/32, Ahmad Khan 2/26, Awais Ali 2/27)
Pakistan under 19’s: 125 all out in 49. 3 overs (Mohammad Shehzad 30, Qasim Akram 19, Irfan Khan 13, Ahmed Khan 36, Arham Nawab 11* Treveen Mathew 4/14, Dunith Wellalage 3/31) - (D.R)
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