With this win, Pakistan A heads their way straight into the finals. They beat Sri Lanka A by 60 runs after posting a mammoth total of 322 runs. I Harsh shukla will take a leave on behalf of my co-commentator Hitesh Peddurwar and Scorer/Analyst Dushyant Kumar.
Stay tuned to us as there are many more games coming up from across the world, till then take care, and a very Good Bye.
Mohammad Haris (Pakistan A Captain):"Yaa, first of all, thanks so much. Fernando and Arachchige batted brilliantly and put up a 100-run partnership. The pitch got a bit slow in the end so it was not that easy to bowl in the end but credit to our spinner and Iqbal for blowing very well in the end. Yaa, I don't know but it will be a delight to play against them(India) and beat them in the finals."
Dunith Wellalage(Sri Lanka-A Skipper): "No I don't think toss was a factor, we gave more loose balls and gave many extras, our batters batted really well they gave a good fight. The wicket was turning. The Pakistan bowlers bowled really well"
Arshad Iqbal(Player of the Match): " The wicket was good and bit slow, I bowled on my line and lengths and that worked. At the start, with the new ball, I tried to attack, by swinging the ball, but in the death overs, I tried my variations. Yeah, I really enjoyed it.
Arshad Iqbal is the player of the match.
Time for the post-match presentation ceremony!!!
Avishka Fernando: "Yeah, I felt that 320 was a little bit too much on this wicket. It was a little bit difficult to bat against, we have good batters we would have chased 300 runs bit they got a few runs more. I am in good form now, and I will like to bat well in all the games."
5:44 PM IST, 5:44 PM Local Time: After a brilliant all-round display with the ball Pakistan came conquering up at the big stage. They beat 2 times champion Sri Lanka in the semis by 60 runs and head straight into the finals.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 322 runs on the board. The start was good for Pakistan as they lost only 1 wicket in the powerplay and put up 48 runs on the board. The first big partnership came up between Yousuf and Tahir of 61 runs for the third wicket. The streak of partnership continued by the Pakistani batter ticking the run board regularly. Omair Yousuf played a brilliant knock of 88 runs for Pakistan comprising 10 fours and 1 six.
The 73 runs-big partnership between Skipper Haris and Mubasir Khan set the stage for Pakistan as they ended up scoring a mammoth total on the board. The bowling Unit yet again stepped up to the occasion and bowled brilliantly in the second inning.
Yet again getting the top-order wicket in the powerplay as they managed to take three wickets courtesy of Iqbal and Butt's brilliant opening spell. The rescuing partnership for Sri Lanka A came between Fernando and Arachchige who held their nerves and added 128 runs on the board. Fernando batted brilliantly as he regularly collected boundaries and rotated the strike well. His inning of 97 runs in 85 deliveries comprised 2 sixes and 12 fours. He got out to Muqeem brilliant delivery which changed the whole face of the game.
The middle overs were crucial as spinners for Pakistan bowled brilliantly and took some big wickets. Mubasir with the big wicket of Arachchige and Muzeem with the wicket of Fernando.
Arachchige yet again played a handy inning of 97 runs in 109 deliveries and held his nerves till the end but wasn't able to take his team over the line. Arshad Iqbal with his brilliant pace and length got 5-for and was awarded Player of the Match. Mubasir Khan and Muqeem also got 2 wickets each.
In a thriller semi-final, it was Pakistan A who came us rising in the end beating Sri Lanka A by 60 runs. With this win, they go to the final waiting for their opponent. The winner between India A and Bangladesh A will face them in the finals.