• Thursday, March 28, 2024

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WATCH: Sri Lanka women cricketers’ amazing dance after they beat Pakistan by 1 run in Asia Cup semis

Sri Lanka women cricketers dance to celebrate their 1-run win over Pakistan in the semifinal of the Asia Cup tournament in Sylhet, Bangladesh, on Thursday, October 13, 2022. (Picture: Twitter/@OfficialSLC)

By: Shubham Ghosh

After the men, it is the women.

The Sri Lanka women’s cricket team made their country proud like their male counterparts by reaching the final of the ongoing Asia Cup tournament by defeating Pakistan by just one run in the second semi-final at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Bangladesh on Thursday (13). However, more than their show during the game, the islanders stole the show with their coordinated dance celebrations after the game. Sri Lanka Cricket, the country’s cricket board, shared a video of the celebrations on social media.

They will meet India, who hammered Thailand by 74 runs in the other semi-final earlier in the day, in the title clash at the same venue on Saturday (15).

The Sri Lankans, who lost to Pakistan in the final league match on Tuesday (11), put up an ordinary batting display after winning the toss and electing to bat. Chamari Athapaththu’s team could manage only 122 runs in 20 overs for the loss of six wickets, thanks to some spirited bowling from Pakistan.

Harshitha Samarawickrama top scored for them with 35 runs while for Pakistan, slow left-arm orthodox bowler Nashra Sandhu picked three wickets for 17 runs in four overs.

Pakistan started off well with their chase with their openers Muneeba Ali (18) and Sidra Ameen (9) putting up 31 runs in 3.1 overs but after Ali was run out, the chasing team gradually started losing the plot. Captain Bismah Maroof top scored with 42 runs but consumed 41 balls and Nida Dar, who made 26 at a run a ball, was the last Pakistan batter to get dismissed and it happened in the final delivery when she was run out. The women in green needed nine runs off the final over but ended just one run short of a tie and while it left them and their supporters shell-shocked, Sri Lankans were celebrating.

Slow left-arm spinner Inoka Rawanweera was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers with two wickets for 17 runs in four overs. She was chosen as the player of the match.

This is the fifth time that Sri Lanka have made the final of the women’s Asia Cup and on all four occasions before this, they were beaten by India.

Recently, the Sri Lanka men’s team defeated Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup in the UAE.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 122/6 in 20 overs (Harshitha Madavi 35, Anushka Sanjeewani 26; Nashra Sandhu 3/17) beat Pakistan 121/6 in 20 overs (Bismah Maroof 42, Nida Dar 26; Inoka Ranaweera 2/17) by 1 run.

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