Karuppiah Ramakrishnan from Doha Qatar
Pakistan Shaheens booked their place in the final of the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship with a nerve-wracking five-run victory over Sri Lanka A in the second semi-final at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The tense win earns them a showdown against Bangladesh A in Sunday’s title decider at the same venue.
Defending a modest total of 153, the Shaheens relied on the brilliance of their spin pairing, Sufiyan Muqeem and Saad Masood, whose disciplined spells dismantled Sri Lanka A’s chase. The duo shared six wickets and applied relentless pressure through the middle overs.
Sri Lanka A, despite a late charge from Milan Rathnayake, were eventually dismissed for 148 off the final ball of the innings.
The Lankan side began explosively, racing to 29 in just two overs as Lasith Croospulle unleashed a whirlwind 27 off seven deliveries, peppered with three sixes and two fours. Shahid Aziz removed him to break the momentum, but the visitors kept pushing through Vishen Halambage’s steady 29 off 27.
Once Halambage fell to Muqeem, the innings spiralled. Sri Lanka A collapsed dramatically, stumbling from a strong position to 99-8 by the 14th over.
Rathnayake then staged a courageous revival, dragging the chase deep into the final over. With eight needed from the last four balls, Sri Lanka A were suddenly back in contention. But Pakistan’s bowlers held their nerve in the dying moments to secure a narrow yet decisive win. Rathnayake finished with a fighting 40 off 32, striking five boundaries and a six.
For Pakistan, Muqeem and Masood took three wickets each, while Ahmed Daniyal, Shahid Aziz and Ubaid Shah chipped in with one apiece.
Earlier, put in to bat, Pakistan Shaheens posted 153-9 in an innings marked by early aggression, a mid-innings slump and a timely lower-order resurgence.
Openers Mohammad Naeem (16 off 15) and Maaz Sadaqat (23 off 11) gave the side a brisk start with a 30-run stand. But the momentum faded quickly as Pakistan stumbled to 62-5 within eight overs.
A vital 47-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Saad Masood and Ghori restored stability. Masood’s composed 22 off 25 ended in the 16th over, but Daniyal lifted the innings with a blistering cameo — 22 off just eight balls, including three towering sixes.
Ghori remained the anchor, finishing unbeaten on 39 off 36, guiding Pakistan to a competitive total.
For Sri Lanka A, Madushan impressed with four wickets, Traveen Mathew claimed three, while Rathnayake and Dunith Wellalage picked up one each.