KARACHI, Dec 31: Spinner Shsikala Siriwardene led Sri Lanka’s women cricketers from the front with four wickets to take the Islanders into the Asia Cup final with a 30-run win over hosts Pakistan on Saturday.

Sri Lanka were all out for 123 in 45.2 overs but they bowled Pakistan out for a paltry 93 in 40.4 overs. Siriwardene, named Woman-of-the-Match, took 4-11.

Defending champions India had already qualified for Wednesday’s final after winning their first two matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the double-league competition.

Pakistan went into the match needing a win with a bonus point to stay in the competition.

They started off well by restricting the Islanders to 15-3 but then conceded 21 wides allowing the visitors to score 123 on a difficult pitch.

Parab Udawatte (28) and Hiroshi Abeyasinghe (25) managed a 56-run stand for the fourth wicket before the home team’s left-arm spinner Sajida Shah grabbed three quick wickets for 18 runs in a splendid spell.

Pakistan found the going tough and only Arman Khan (24) and Urooj Mumtaz (16) offered resistance against some disciplined bowling by the Sri Lankans.

Arman was enterprising in hitting two sixes and one four in her 18-ball cameo.

Otherwise, it was another poor display from the Pakistani girls.

Pakistan made a brilliant start by reducing Lankans to 15 for three in sixth over. But Abeysinghe and Udawatte in a valuable fourth-wicket stand added 56 runs.

Off-spinner Sabahat Rasheed got rid of both the players. Udawatte hit four fous in her 28 off 61 balls while Abeysinghe’s 76-ball knock of 25 contained three boundaries.

Sri Lanka meet India on Sunday and Pakistan face India on Monday in two inconsequential matches.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA:

D. de Silva lbw b Qanita 1

C. Pologampola b Asmavia 8

H.i Abeysinghe c Sana Javed b Sabahat 25

S. de Alwis run out 0

P. Udawatte c Sana Javed b Sabahat 28

S. Siriwardene c Sana Javed b Sajjida 10

I. Galagedera b Sajjida 8

J. Mala b Sajida 0

Chandrawathi c Sabahat b Urooj 10

Indalatha st Sana Javed b Urooj 10

D. Dedunu not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-21) 22

TOTAL (all out, 45.2 overs) 123

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-11, 3-15, 4-71, 5-87, 6-93, 7-93, 8-103, 9-119.

BOWLING: Asmavia Iqbal 7-2-18-1; Qanit Jalil 7-2-16-1; Maryum Butt 1-0-7-0; Urooj Mumtaz 6.2-0-19-2; Sabahat Rasheed 10-1-36-2; Sajjida Shah 10-3-18-3; Sana Mir 4-2-8-1.

PAKISTAN:

Taskeen Qadeer b Indra 1

Sajjida Shah c Hiroshi b Praba 0

Sana Javed c Dumila b Mala 8

Urooj Mumtaz c Dumila b Shshikala 16

Sana Mir c Hiroshi b Mala 0

Arman Khan c Inoka b Swini 24

Shumila Mushtaq c Hiroshi b Shshikala 5

Asamavia Iqbal not out 13

Maryum Mumtaz b Shshikala 6

Qanita Jalil c and b Shshikala 0

Sabahat Rasheed c and b Suwini 0

EXTRAS (B-3, W-17) 20

TOTAL (all out, 40.4 overs) 93

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-5, 3-35, 4-35, 5-68, 6-69, 7-76, 8-88, 9-88

Bowling: Praba Udawatte 7-2-8-1; Indralatha 6-0-15-1; Janakanti Mala 6-2-25-2; Champri Pologampola 5-0-15-0; Suwini de Alwis 8.4-2-16-2; Shshikala Siriwardena 8-2-14-4.

UMPIRES: Riazuddin and Javed Ashraf.

WOMAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Shshikala Siriwardene.—Agencies