Sri Lanka beats Pakistan in Asia Cup cricket final

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Sri Lanka’s inexperienced cricket team overcame a poor start with bat and ball to put on an impressive all-round show Sunday and win the Asia Cup for the sixth time with a 23-run victory over Pakistan. Bhanuka Rajapaksa hit an unbeaten 71 off 45 balls in Dubai and led Sri Lanka as it recovered from 58-5 to reach 170-6 in the final after Pakistan won the toss and elected to field.

Pakistan crashed to 147 all out off the last balls as its top order continued to struggle against the pace with fast bowler Pramod Madushan claiming 4-34 in only his second T20 international. Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga then baffled the lower order with his sharp googlies to accelerate Pakistan’s collapse.

Hasaranga, who earlier scored 36 off 21 balls, had Pakistan’s top-scorer Mohammad Rizwan (55) caught in the deep in his last over before claiming the wickets of Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah in the same over to finish with 3-27. “It was all about nerves, I knew the youngsters can always deliver,” Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka said.

“We have players with good caliber, and they stood up well.” Sri Lanka had an awful bowling start when left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka conceded nine runs through a no ball and several wides before the 21-year-old’s first legitimate delivery at the sixth attempt. Madushan, who made his T20 debut in the last Super 4 match against Pakistan on Friday, settled his team’s nerves quickly by claiming the wickets of Babar Azam (5) and Fakhar Azam (0) off successive deliveries inside the powerplay.

Babar was brilliantly snapped up by Madushanka over his head at short fine leg off a hard flick and Fakhar went for a golden duck by dragging the first ball onto his stumps. Babar, the