Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka talks about his bowling attack after completing a comfortable 5-wicket win over Pakistan in their final Super 4 match of the Asia Cup 2022 on Friday, September 9. Sri Lanka Got Pakistan out for just 121 runs Spinner and pacer Babar Azam’s men proved too hot to handle at the dress rehearsals for Sunday’s much-anticipated final in Dubai.
Sri Lanka started their Asia Cup 2022 campaign with a crushing defeat to Afghanistan, but they haven’t looked back since securing a thumping win over Bangladesh in a group-stage match. Sri Lanka ended the Super 4 stage with 3 wins in as many matches, losing to Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.
Sri Lanka were not considered as favorites in the Asia Cup due to their poor performance in T20Is, but they have set a marker. Under the coaching of Chris Silverwood, the men of Dasun Shanaka have emerged as a rejuvenating unit, finding new heroes in every match.
On Friday, it was Vanindu Hasranga and Mahesh Thikshana who broke the back of Pakistan’s batting unit, with 5 wickets between them. Wanindu got the big wicket of Babar Azam after which he dismissed Asif Ali and Iftikar Ahmed in successive deliveries.
Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka has been impressive with wickets in key games including Virat Kohli’s big skull in his Super 4 match on Tuesday.
“Bowling combination, left-arm pacer, off-spinner, leg-spinner, variation from spinners, any kind of batting will be challenged,” Shanaka said.
The Sri Lankan captain said taking wickets with the new ball on Sunday would be crucial for him. Pakistan will hope that its star batsmen Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam will enter the final.
“Lines of fast bowlers in the early part of the game. If we can get some early wickets in the final, it will be good for us,” he said.
Happy to return Hasranga
Meanwhile, Wanindu Hasaranga, who was adjudged the player of the match against Sri Lanka, said he was excited to find form ahead of the big final on Sunday.
Sri Lanka’s star spinner Hasaranga took 3 wickets and was expensive in the group stage. He went without a wicket in the Super 4 matches against Afghanistan and India, but on Friday, he was back at his best, dodging Pakistan’s batsmen.
“That’s how I try to play when I enter a match. I’m really happy because in the last few matches I went for some runs. Came back strong with some good quality wickets, very happy. I tried to bowl the dot in the first few overs, so three wickets came,” Hasranga said.
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