Injury-hit Pakistan will have the tough task of taming a high-spirited Sri Lanka when they battle for a place in the Asia Cup final in a Super 4 match here on Thursday. Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have two points and the winner of the virtual knockout game will advance to the final on September 17. India has already secured a place in the top-flight match after beating Sri Lanka by 41 runs in a Super Four match. on Tuesday. Rohit Sharma’s men top the rankings with four points.
However, Pakistan will have more lines on their forehead ahead of their crucial match against the Lankans.
In all likelihood, they will not be able to call up pacers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah as both are doubtful due to their respective injuries.
Pakistan have added Shahnawaz Dahani and Zaman Khan, a 22-year-old swing pacer who can click at 150 kmph, as backups for the remainder of the Asia Cup.
But that’s only part of their concerns. The Pakistani batsman is yet to hit the top gear in the tournament, barring a 342 for six against minnows Nepal in the Asia Cup opener in Multan.
However, for big runs, they are largely dependent on their openers – Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq – and captain Babar Azam.
They need some runs from the likes of Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha, and urgently too.
Iftikhar Ahmed showed his great batting skills with a blistering hundred against Nepal, but he needs to do that more consistently against better oppositions.
Sri Lanka is certainly one of them. Pakistan had defeated them by seven wickets in a league match, but the past will mean nothing tomorrow.
While beating Bangladesh and testing India, the Lankans under Dasun Shanaka have shown that they are not just pushovers despite the absence of some first-choice players.
Sri Lanka was also hit hard by injuries in the run-up to the tournament as key players such as Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara were ruled out.
It has forced them to field a young squad that lacks experience and exposure, but players like Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana and Maheesh Theekshana have put in some impressive performances in the tournament.
That said, the home side will be hoping for a little more consistency from their pacers – especially from Kasun Rajitha, who has taken four wickets from as many matches but has given away almost six runs per over in all matches.
So Lanka might hope that their spinners would come to the party again as they were exemplary against India on a pitch that offered plenty of turning options and grip.
They had broken India’s strong top order, with left-arm spinner Wellalage taking five wickets.
Therefore, Lanka could offer a similar pitch to Pakistan as it can also nullify their pace battery led by left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Squads:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir (traveling reserve). Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan (backups for the injured Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah).
Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Pathum Nissanaka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis (vice-captain), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesha Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan.
The match starts at 3:00 PM IST.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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