Asia Cup 2022: Sri Lanka claim sixth Asia Cup title after beating Pakistan by 23 runs

DUBAI: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 23 runs to claim the sixth Asia Cup title on Sunday.

The Lankan Lions had their tremendous bowling performance on display with Pakistani wickets tumbling one after another in a predictable game.

Sri Lankan pacers Pramod Madushan and Wanindu Hasaranga shared seven wickets between them.

Chasing 171 for victory, Pakistan were bowled out for 147 with Madushan claiming four wickets and Hasaranga taking 3-27 in Dubai.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa had smashed an unbeaten 71 to lift Sri Lanka to 170-6 from a precarious 58-5 after being put in to bat by Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan became the tournament's highest-scorer with a total of 281 runs over six innings. In the match against Sri Lanka today, the ICC's top T20I player scored 55 runs.

Earlier, the Sri Lankan team scored 171 and lost six wickets in the first innings of the Asia Cup 2022's final match.

Earlier, Pakistani bowlers took over the innings of the Asia Cup 2022's finale with pacers going after wickets of the Sri Lankan batters.

Kusal Mendis was the first Lankan Lion to be sent back to the pavilion by Naseem Shah in the first over, while Haris Rauf took Pathum Nissanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, and Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva's  wickets in the fourth, sixth and 15th overs.

While Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan sent Dhananjaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka back to the pavilion in the eighth and ninth over.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss against Sri Lanka with their eyes on winning the Asian tournament’s final match at the Dubai International Stadium.

After a thrilling battle among top Asian cricket teams, the winner of the Asia Cup 2022 will be decided in today's final game with Pakistan and Sri Lanka facing each other in the field for the coveted trophy.

With two changes in the team, Pakistan are walking to the ground with Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah. The two pacers rested during the last Super Four match against Sri Lanka in which Hassan Ali and Usman Qadir were playing as their replacement.

This is the 11th final of the Asia Cup to be played by Sri Lankans who are anticipating another victory for the sixth time. Pakistan have previously reached the event's finals five times and has lifted the trophy twice.

Earlier, the two teams were seen locking horns with the Sri Lankan Lions winning by five wickets. However, Pakistan's coach has said that the team is eyeing the coveted trophy today.

Squads:

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan (vc), Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain.

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Pramod Madushan, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka.