Dubai — In their practice match for the Asia Cup final against Pakistan on Friday, Sri Lanka’s bowlers were spearheaded by spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who helped his team to a comfortable five-wicket win.
At the preliminary round for the T20 World Cup in October-November, both sides have already secured their spots in the championship match on Sunday.
Sri Lanka chose to play first in Dubai, and Hasaranga contributed with figures of 3-21 with his leg-spin to bowl out Pakistan for 121 in 19.1 overs.
Pathum Nissanka (55 not out) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (24) put up a 51-run partnership as Sri Lanka recovered to reach their goal with three overs remaining after falling to 29-3 in their pursuit.
After batting 19 balls, the left-handed Rajapaksa was out, but Nissanka held on and Hasaranga scored the go-ahead runs to give Sri Lanka their fourth consecutive victory.
“The confidence we have is massive after four consecutive wins, but we still don’t take Pakistan lightly in the final,” skipper Dasun Shanaka, who turned 31 on Friday, told reporters.
“We know they are a very good side and enough good players in their side to come back strong and we should be ready for that.”
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said the game was a “good learning experience” ahead of the final.
It was the Sri Lankan bowlers who began their team’s domination of the match as debutant fast bowler Pramod Madushan struck in his first over.
He sent the in-form Mohammad Rizwan, who is second to Virat Kohli in the tournament’s run-scoring charts, back to the pavilion for 14.
Chamika Karunaratne ended Fakhar Zaman’s stay on 13 and Pakistan slipped further when Hasaranga bowled Azam.
Azam, who has struggled in the tournament with scores of 10, 9, 14 and nought in his previous innings, began with a delightful straight drive for four but could not produce a match-defining score.
‘Talented’ Nissanka
Pakistan kept losing wickets and Hasaranga finished his spell with two successive wickets to flatten the opposition batting, which survived only 19.1 overs despite a late cameo of 26 by Mohammad Nawaz.
“I am really happy because last few games I went for some runs,” Hasaranga said.
“Have come back strong with some good quality wickets, so happy. I tried bowling dot balls in first few overs, that’s why the three wickets came.”
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana and Madushan took two wickets each.
Pakistan’s fast bowlers took three early wickets to put Sri Lanka on the back foot before Nissanka and Rajapaksa put the chase back on track.
Mohammad Hasnain gave his team a dream start when he dismissed Kusal Mendis for a first-ball duck with the second ball of the innings.
Fellow quick Haris Rauf got a wicket in each of his first two overs to send back Danushka Gunathilaka, for nought, and Dhananjaya de Silva, for nine.
Nissanka then got going with Rajapaksa and despite losing his partner after a strong stand, reached his seventh T20I fifty for Sri Lanka.
He was then joined by Shanaka, who made 21 off 16 balls before falling to Hasnain.
“He has got a great career ahead and a very talented guy,” Shanaka said of Nissanka.
Pre-tournament favourites India, who lost two of their three Super Four matches, crashed out after Afghanistan lost to Pakistan on Wednesday.