SriLanka Wins ASIA CUP – SL Dressing Room Celebrations: SriLanka win ASIA CUP by 23 runs: Insane Celebration scenes were witnessed in SriLanka team Dressing Room as they defeated Pakistan to lift the ASIA CUP. SriLanka won by 23 runs to bag the trophy for a 6th time. It was nothing but a fairytale rise for the Lankans. With an economic crisis back home and the ashes of civil war still settling, nobody gave Dasun Shanaka a chance. But Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga and Pramod Madushan scripted the downfall of Pakistan in the final. Check SL beat PAK Highlights & Watch Asia Cup Final Highlights with InsideSport.IN
The entire team celebrated till LATE at NIGHT in Dubai stadium – singing, getting on top of the table and DANCING. Check OUT
Now, that’s how champions celebrate! 🎉https://t.co/ruP7lLtgnH!
➡️Send us your celebration video by using the hashtag #RoaringForGlory ! pic.twitter.com/LpijSdLaAq
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 11, 2022
PAK vs SL Highlights
- Champions: Sri Lanka ($150,000)
- Runners-Up: Pakistan ($75,000)
- Player of the Match: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (71 off 45)
- Player of the Series: Wanindu Hasaranga (66 Runs at 150.00 SR & 9 wickets)
- Most Runs: Mohammad Rizwan (281)
- Most Wickets: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (11)
- Most Sixes: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan, 12)
- 5: Sri Lanka are now on a 5-match winning streak for the first time in T20Is since 2014
- 6: It was Sri Lanka’s 6th Asia Cup title (1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2022). They are now only behind India (7)
- 14: Wanindu Hasaranga has bagged 14 wickets in the last five matches against Pakistan.
- 105: Sri Lanka scored 105 runs in last 10 overs after scoring just 65 in the first 10.
PAK vs SL Highlights: SriLanka script FAIRYTALE story to lift Asia Cup for 6th time, beat Pakistan by 23 runs: Watch Asia Cup FINAL Highlights
It was a test of temperament for a side that found it difficult to hire a coach. There was a constant change in captaincy. The island nation could not even host the tournament due to the economic crisis and the political turmoil back home. To make matters worse, the team was severely criticised by former captain Arjuna Ranatunga and their MPs after their crushing defeat to Afghanistan in the first match.
However, credit goes to captain Dasun Shanaka and coach Chris Silverwood. Both had a point to prove. If Shanaka was rebuilding a team, Silverwood came to the island nation after being sacked by England following a string of disastrous results. But both turned things around.
Sri Lanka went on a 4-match unbeaten streak to slay two giants India and Pakistan en route final. And the man they discarded for poor fitness was their star with the bat throughout the tournament. Bhanuka Rajapaksa was only given a second chance after his IPL 2022 exploits with Punjab Kings. And the man turned the tide after Pakistan had them by neck in the final at 58/5.
It’s celebration time!! 🤩🏆 pic.twitter.com/rCxikSDxbA
— Dasun Shanaka (@dasunshanaka1) September 11, 2022
Sent to bat, it was always tricky. Pakistan pacers extracted the early advantage with Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Iftikhar Ahmed sharing the wickets. But then came the fightback.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa, determined to do well, played a match-winning knock of 45-ball 71 hammering 6 fours and 3 sixes. But more importantly, it was his partnerships that changed things for Sri Lanka. First, he added 36-ball 58-run partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga taking the attack to Pakistan. While Hasaranga fell for 21-ball 36, he continued with Chamika Karunaratne. The two added 54 runs off 31 balls, posting up a competitive 170/6 total.
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