KARACHI: Pakistan’s campaign at the Emerging Teams Asia Cup came to a shuddering halt on Thursday when arch-rivals India thumped them by seven wickets in their semi-final clash at the Colombo Cricket Clun Ground in the Sri Lanka capital.
India will take on hosts Sri Lanka in Saturday’s title-deciding fixture at the R. Premadasa Stadium after the latter sealed a four-wicket win in the other semi-final.
After being put into bat, Pakistan lost opener Sahibzada Farhan and Hussain Talat upfront in the space of three deliveries with both being dismissed for ducks by seamer Ankit Rajpoot.
At 42-4 Pakistan were in doldrums before captain Mohammad Rizwan (67 off 95 balls, three fours and two sixes) and Saud Shakeel (62 off 72, seven boundaries) came to their rescue in a partnership of 86.
But the departure of Rizwan in the 34th over triggered another collapse as Pakistan folded up for 172 in 44.4 overs.
Apart from Rajpoot, who claimed 2-19 in five overs, leg-spinner Mayank Markande (4-38 in 9.4 overs) and discarded Test all-rounder Jayant Yadav (2-29 in 10) shared the bulk of wickets.
India’s response to the chase was a bit shaky when their third wicket fell at 52. But Himmat Singh and Nitish Rana carried their team to victory while sharing an unbroken partnership of 126 as India won with as many as 135 balls to spare.
Himmat hoisted five sixes and hit three fours in scoring 59 off 58 balls, while the left-handed Rana adorned his run-a-ball 60 with six fours and three sixes.
At the Premadasa Stadium Sri Lanka’s decision to field first somewhat backfired as Bangladesh recovered from 41-3 to reach a healthy 237 all out in 49.1 overs.
Opener Mizanur Rahman played a fine hand as he scored 72 from 95 deliveries while striking seven fours and one six. Yasir Ali struck a 72-ball 66 (three fours and one six) and Mosaddek Hossain hit a solitary boundary in making a 57-ball 39.
The pace duo of Chamika Karunaratne (4-31 in 8.1 overs) and Asitha Fernando (2-50 in 9.4) were the pick of Sri Lanka bowling along with slow left-armer Lasith Ambuldeniya, who conceded just 28 runs in 10 overs but took no wicket.
Sandun Weerakkody bludgeoned a 37-ball 47 (six fours and one six) upfront before Kamindu Mendis anchored the home side to victory by contributing an undefeated 91 from 88 balls while hitting nine fours.
Meanwhile, Shehan Jayasuriya, who has played nine One-day Internationals and 11 T20 Internationals for the senior Sri Lanka side, was declared out for obstructing the field after scoring 39.
Results:
India beat Pakistan by seven wickets at Colombo Cricket Club Ground.
PAKISTAN 172 in 44.4 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 67, Saud Shakeel 62; M. Markande 4-38, A.S. Rajpoot 2-19, J. Yadav 2-29); INDIA 178-3 in 27.3 overs (N. Rana 60 not out, Himmat Singh 59 not out, R.D. Gaikwad 20).
Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by four wickets at R. Premadasa Stadium.
BANGLADESH 237 in 49.1 overs (Mizanur Rahman 72, Yasir Ali 66, Mosaddek Hossain 39; C. Karunaratne 4-31, A.M. Fernando 2-50); SRI LANKA 241-6 in 48.2 overs (P.H.K.D. Mendis 91 not out, D.S. Weerakkody 47, G.S.N.F.G. Jayasuriya 39, D.A.S. Gunaratne 24; Shoriful Islam 2-50).
Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2018
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