Asia Cup 2022 Final: Pakistan stand in way of Sri Lanka cricket's rebirth

cricket team would like to provide its countrymen with an emotional catharsis if it happens to beat a much superior Pakistan in the Asia Cup final here on Sunday. Technically, Sri Lanka are the hosts of this Asia Cup but call it a cruel twist of fate, the tournament had to be shifted to UAE for security reasons. It could have been infinitely sweeter had Dasun Shanaka and his men would have played the final at the iconic Khettarama Stadium (now Premadasa Stadium) but the kind of performance they have put in the Super 4s would make anyone believe that it would be anything but easy for Babar Azam's side.

Whether its the Asian Cricket Council or general public of Dubai, everyone wanted an Indo-Pak final but the gutsy cricketers from the island nation have earned their right to be in the summit clash. And if that wasn't enough, Friday's easy win against their final opponents was the kind of warning signal that will keep Pakistan on tenterhooks. But at Dubai, buoyed by a sizeable Pakistani population bursting its lungs out, the Mohammed Rizwans, Mohammed Nawazs and Naseem Shahs would like to lift their games on the big day, which has been a tradition that is so relatable with the legacy of their national teams over the years. But in Sri Lanka, they have an opposition that could be more than handful and a team that has certainly redeemed itself in a format where they had become world champions back in 2014. The fortunes of Sri Lanka cricket nose-dived just like the country's eco-system in general, with poor selection and internal politics in the board not helping their cause either.

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Despite their five-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka