13/10Result
2nd Semi-Final, Women's T20 Asia Cup at Sylhet, Oct 13 2022
SL Women won by 1 run
Player of the Match
Inoka RanaweeraSri Lanka Women
13/10Result
2nd Semi-Final, Women's T20 Asia Cup at Sylhet, Oct 13 2022
SL Women won by 1 run
Player of the Match
Inoka RanaweeraSri Lanka Women

END OF OVER:
20 | 7 Runs 1 Wkt | PAK-W: 121/6 (2 runs required, RR: 6.05)

  • Aliya Riaz2 (5b)
  • Achini Kulasuriya4-0-22-0
  • Inoka Ranaweera4-1-17-2

India vs Sri Lanka on Saturday - the final of this year's Asia Cup. Their men did it just last month, and the women have an opportunity to replicate that. A brilliant semi-final sets the tone for what should be an equally exciting title game, and until then, it is goodbye from Ranjith, Suds and me, Himanshu!

Inoka Ranaweera is the Player of the Match and Athapaththu is the translator: "Really happy, and want to share her award with Achini [Kulasuriya]. When we started, we trusted each and every one. We didn't have big names."

Chamari Athapaththu comes smiling: "Bit of pressure in the middle, but I trust my bowlers! We changed the batting order, but we are happy with this win. After 14 years, we are in the Asia Cup final. We are happy! Wicket was really good, and in the first six overs they batted really well. We knew it won't be easy after that, so we stuck with our plans in the middle overs. Kavisha is very young, but plays very good cricket at times!"

Bismah Maroof speaks first: "It was a very good match. Everybody enjoyed watching it. It was a very good wicket. We controlled well in the middle [overs], but we gave some lose balls as well. We didn't bat well in the end. Their bowlers bowled well as well. It was a very clinical performance from all who played [in this tournament]. Very proud of the game after they came back from the Thailand match."

So Sri Lanka meet India in the final, but before that, here comes the presentation.

Sharat Verma: "Thankfully the the last ball wide missed by the umpire in the Sri Lankan innings didn't come into the equation!"

George: "Pakistan!!!! How on earth????"

4.32pm Sri Lanka get into a huddle, and rejoice in the moment; Maroof and co look shattered. A terrific game of cricket, which kept swinging from one way to the other throughout the run chase. Muneeba came out as if in the mood to hunt this down as early as possible, and it was her wicket that allowed Sri Lanka to claw back. A combined bowling show by Sri Lanka, and overall, a thriller where all three results were possible until the last ball.

19.6
W
Kulasuriya to Nida Dar, 1 run, OUT, Sri Lanka win by one run! Dar down on her knees there, as the Pakistan dugout is stunned. A run-out at the keeper's end, as they tried to pinch the second for a potential Super Over, but alas! Dar got a full toss on off, which she hoicked at after making room. She only managed to slice it to extra cover, who leaped across to her left. It was a dropped catch too, as she tried to grab at that. But the presence of mind meant she immediately picked up the ball and threw to the keeper - albeit wide of her - who had a lot of time to smash the stumps

Nida Dar run out 26 (41m 26b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

3 from 1...

19.5
1b
Kulasuriya to Aliya Riaz, 1 bye, how did that miss at the striker's end?! Oh God, the keeper had all three stumps to aim at, with Dar miles away, but she still missed. Swing and a miss off this full ball, which missed leg stump

4 off 2

19.4
1
Kulasuriya to Nida Dar, 1 run, dragged to extra cover. Only another single, as she makes room to this full ball on middle

By the way, Sri Lanka have been penalised for slow over rate, and so have only three fielders outside the circle

19.3
2
Kulasuriya to Nida Dar, 2 runs, launched over cover! She backs away, and sees this full ball outside off. Throws her bat at that to loft at it

Vinod Rajpal: "Super Over... anyone ?"

19.2
1b
Kulasuriya to Aliya Riaz, 1 bye, an inswinging yorker outside leg, as she jams her bat down and misses. The keeper fumbles, and Pakistan manage a bye
19.1
1
Kulasuriya to Nida Dar, 1 run, makes room, and ends up pushing aerially to long-off, as the ball is full and straight

9 off 7. Who is supporting whom? Achini has the ball.

NK: "Riveting!"

END OF OVER:
19 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | PAK-W: 114/5 (9 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 6.00, RRR: 9.00)

  • Aliya Riaz2 (3b)
  • Nida Dar21 (22b)
  • Inoka Ranaweera4-1-17-2
  • Sugandika Kumari4-0-26-1
18.6
0
Ranaweera to Aliya Riaz, no run, the keeper is very confident of a potential caught behind, but it's not given. Short and wide of off, and turning away, as Riaz missed her cut
18.5
1
Ranaweera to Nida Dar, 1 run, very loopy, and it turns out to be a low full toss on off. Nudged to long-off after a charge down
18.4
1
Ranaweera to Aliya Riaz, 1 run, fullish and wide of off, and going on with the arm from around the wicket. Slashed to point
18.3
1
Ranaweera to Nida Dar, 1 run, sweeps this full and tossed up ball outside off to deep midwicket
18.2
1
Ranaweera to Aliya Riaz, 1 run, goes flinging first ball, and the ball just falls short of long-on rushing forward. Makes room, and slogs at this full and straight ball

Here comes Riaz

18.1
W
Ranaweera to Ayesha Naseem, OUT, that sails high in the air, and is nabbed at cover! Pakistan lose Naseem in what could be a defining moment. She was down on her knees early to try and hoick that to the leg side, but looked like being beaten in flight. The ball was loopy, slow and full on off, and she only managed a top edge to send the ball skying

Ayesha Naseem c Dilhari b Ranaweera 2 (3m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

13 off 12. Inoka will finish off.

Adarsh: "Never a dull moment in Pakistan cricket, whether it be men's or women's"

END OF OVER:
18 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | PAK-W: 110/4 (13 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.11, RRR: 6.50)

  • Ayesha Naseem2 (3b)
  • Nida Dar19 (20b)
  • Sugandika Kumari4-0-26-1
  • Inoka Ranaweera3-1-13-1
17.6
1
Kumari to Ayesha Naseem, 1 run, gets a leading edge ballooning to long-off, as she comes dancing down to this fullish ball on middle and off. She tries to flick, but the bat face closes too early

This could be a very crucial delivery in the context of the game

17.5
1
Kumari to Nida Dar, 1 run, very full on leg, and dragged to long-off
17.4
1
Kumari to Ayesha Naseem, 1 run, ah, fumble by the bowler tumbling to her right, and that allows a single to deep midwicket. Full ball on off, and clipped to the leg side
17.3
0
Kumari to Ayesha Naseem, no run, very full on off, and fired back to the bowler

Naseem the new batter in

Sharat Verma: "Would the last ball wide missed by the umpire in the Sri Lankan innings be sorely missed?" --- We'll know soon...

17.2
W
Kumari to Bismah Maroof, OUT, gone, bowled! Could this be the turning point? This one skid off a shortish length on leg, and hit the leg stump, after Maroof made room very early and exposed all her stumps. She tried to turn the ball around to the leg side, but eventually found herself a bit too far outside, and missed the ball

Bismah Maroof b Kumari 42 (62m 41b 4x4 0x6) SR: 102.43

Cover in, mid-on out

17.1
2
Kumari to Bismah Maroof, 2 runs, swings across the line to this fullish ball on off, as she skips down and beats mid-on to her left

Sugandika into her last. Around the wicket

Anyone wants drama from here? A run-a-ball 18 to get.

END OF OVER:
17 | 5 Runs | PAK-W: 105/3 (18 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 6.17, RRR: 6.00)

  • Bismah Maroof40 (39b)
  • Nida Dar18 (19b)
  • Inoka Ranaweera3-1-13-1
  • Kavisha Dilhari4-0-26-1
16.6
1
Ranaweera to Bismah Maroof, 1 run, full and loopy just outside off. Inoka gave the chase towards long-on, and they thought of two but were happy with the one in the end
16.5
1
Ranaweera to Nida Dar, 1 run, short and slow outside off. Turns away, and is pulled to wide long-on
16.4
1
Ranaweera to Bismah Maroof, 1 run, slower, and full on off. She closes the bat face, and flicks to the vacant square leg region
16.3
1
Ranaweera to Nida Dar, 1 run, just wide of short fine leg running and sliding to her left. Goes sweeping to this full ball, and gets that off the top edge
16.2
1
Ranaweera to Bismah Maroof, 1 run, this time sweeps this fuller ball on off to fine leg
16.1
0
Ranaweera to Bismah Maroof, no run, past the outside edge. Looked to dab at that good length ball sliding away outside off, and was beaten

Inoka returns from around the wicket

23 to win off 24. Seven wickets intact, so Pakistan's game to lose from here.

PAK Women 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st31Sidra AminMuneeba Ali
2nd16Bismah MaroofSidra Amin
3rd18Bismah MaroofOmaima Sohail
4th42Bismah MaroofNida Dar
5th3Nida DarAyesha Naseem
6th11Nida DarAliya Riaz