Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a crunch Super Fours clash in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and it will be a relentless finish until the final, with a game on every single day apart from a day before the summit clash. Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka lost their respective first Super 4s clash and need to win.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka, two potential contenders for the second spot in the final, stare at an early exit from the Asia Cup as they take on each other in a crunch clash in the Super Fours on Tuesday, September 23. Pakistan lost to India despite a much-improved show with the bat, while Sri Lanka were caught napping by a surprisingly solid Bangladesh side, who began the Super Fours with a spirited win. Now, Abu Dhabi, in its final clash of the tournament, awaits both teams, who desperately need a win.
In Asia Cup T20, Sri Lanka have had an upper hand, winning two games compared to Pakistan’s one, but the islanders have won both the Asia Cup games in Dubai, in the UAE, during the 2022 edition. Pakistan’s sole win came in the 2016 season in Mirpur. However, if the overall head-to-head between the two teams is taken into account, Pakistan are ahead, having won 13 out of 23 matches.
In Abu Dhabi, too, the venue of the Tuesday clash, Pakistan have been able to win all three matches against Sri Lanka, one in 2011 and the other two in 2017. However, 2017 was also the last time that Pakistan were able to beat Sri Lanka in T20Is. Since then, Sri Lanka have won all five matches – two in Dubai (2022) and three in Lahore (2019).
Who has the edge?
On form, Sri Lanka might be slight favourites ahead of Pakistan, but Charith Asalanka and Co, too, have their issues to sort. The overdependence on Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis was exploited by Bangladesh as despite a quickfire half-century by Dasun Shanaka meant that Sri Lanka could muster just 168 runs. Against a good bowling attack of Pakistan, Sri Lanka will have to be wary of that aspect, with the likes of Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Perera and skipper Asalanka needing to chip-in, in the middle overs.
On the other hand, Pakistan had an improved batting performance on Sunday against India, with Sahibzada Farhan scoring a half-century and a couple of other contributions, but the pressure is mounting on skipper Salman Agha, who is yet to do anything significant in the tournament. The bowling might take care of the proceedings for Pakistan, but if the batters fire, the two teams might offer a match for the ages.
ย