Abu Dhabi — Pakistan’s bowling attack roared back to life in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four stage, dismantling Sri Lanka’s batting lineup and holding them to just 133 for 8 in what was a must-win contest for the men in green.
The game started with fire. Pakistan’s pacers struck early, ripping through Sri Lanka’s top order and leaving them reeling inside the powerplay. Shaheen Shah Afridi led the charge with trademark swing, while Haris Rauf and Hussain Talat piled on the pressure with pace and accuracy.
Bowling brilliance
Shaheen Shah Afridi: 3 wickets for 28 runs — the standout performer, breaking Sri Lanka’s backbone upfront.
Hussain Talat: 2 wickets, keeping the middle overs tight and choking the scoring rate.
Haris Rauf: 2 wickets, his raw pace too hot for the batters to handle.
Abrar Ahmed: controlled the middle overs beautifully, giving away little and keeping batsmen tied down.
Together, Pakistan’s bowlers never allowed Sri Lanka to settle, forcing mistakes and capitalizing on them.
Lone resistance from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka had only one real spark — Kusal Mendis, who fought hard with a gutsy 50 off 44 balls. Apart from him, the rest of the batting lineup folded under pressure. Charith Asalanka chipped in with some resistance, but it wasn’t enough to lift the total beyond respectability.
Match outlook
For Pakistan, this was exactly the kind of bowling performance they needed after a shaky start in the tournament. Chasing 134 on a decent surface, Babar Azam’s side will be confident, but they’ll also know that early wickets could turn things around.
Still, with the way the bowlers delivered, fans will expect the batters to finish the job and keep Pakistan’s Asia Cup hopes alive.
