Sri Lanka A Cruises to Emerging Asia Cup T20 Final
Sri Lanka A easily cruised to the Emerging Asia Cup T20 final after defeating Pakistan Shaheens by seven wickets in the first semifinal on Friday at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Muscat. Sri Lanka A made easy work of the 136-run mark, scoring 137 for three in just 16.3 overs.
Ahan Wickramasinghe shined, scoring an undefeated 52 off 46 balls, including four fours and a six. His controlled innings offered stability following an explosive start by opener Lahiru Udara, who smashed 43 off 20 balls, including two fours and four sixes, to demolish Pakistan’s bowling attack.
Earlier in the Emerging Asia Cup, Pakistan Shaheens decided to bat first but struggled to generate momentum, scoring a modest 135 for nine in 20 overs. Omair Bin Yousuf was Pakistan’s star batsman, scoring 68 from 46 balls, including five boundaries and four maximums. His efforts, however, received little help from teammates, with Haider Ali (14), Mohammad Imran Jnr (13), and Arafat Minhas (10) being the only others to reach double digits.
Sri Lanka A’s bowlers kept tight control throughout Pakistan’s innings in the Emerging Asia Cup. Dushan Hemantha stood out as the most effective bowler, capturing four wickets for 21 runs in four overs. Nipun Ransika and Eshan Malinga added to Pakistan’s woes, taking two wickets each to maintain the pressure.
With their sweeping victory, Sri Lanka A not only secured a well-deserved position in the competition final, but also demonstrated a balanced, all-around performance. They wait for the winner of the second semifinal to compete for the title.
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