Some cricket matches are just games, and then some are absolute rollercoasters that leave you breathless. The Asia Cup Rising Stars second semi-final between Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A was definitely the latter. In a classic nail-biter at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha, the Pakistan Shaheens pulled off a stunning five-run victory to book their spot in the final against Bangladesh A. It was a match that had everything: a top-order collapse, a gritty lower-order fightback, and a chase that went right down to the wire.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Pakistan Shaheens beat Sri Lanka A by a razor-thin margin of just 5 runs in a nail-biting semi-final.
- ✓ After collapsing to 62/5, Pakistan was rescued by Ghazi Ghori (39*), Saad Masood (22), and Ahmed Daniyal (22) to post 153/9. A notable point here is
- ✓ Sri Lanka A suffered a dramatic collapse, losing an unbelievable 6 wickets for just 25 runs in the middle of their chase.
- ✓ Spinners Sufiyan Muqeem (3 for 12) and Saad Masood (3 for 18) were the heroes for Pakistan, turning the game on its head.
- ✓ The victory sets up a tantalizing Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 final between Pakistan A and Bangladesh A on November 23rd.
From the Brink: Pakistan's Gritty Batting Recovery
When Pakistan was put into bat, things looked grim. Really grim. Another important factor is Before you could even settle in, the top order had crumbled, leaving them teetering at 62 for 5 inside the eighth over. At that point, a competitive total felt like a distant dream. But this is where the character of the team really shone through, and a few key players decided to take matters into their own hands.
The anchor of the recovery was Ghazi Ghori, who played a calm and composed innings, finishing with an unbeaten 39 from 36 balls. He wasn't just scoring runs; he was holding the innings together. He found crucial support from Saad Masood, who added a vital 22, and then the real fireworks came from Ahmed Daniyal. Daniyal smashed a quickfire 22 from just 8 balls, providing the late-innings momentum that Irfan Khan’s side desperately needed. These partnerships lifted Pakistan from a precarious position to a challenging total of 153/9 in their 20 overs, giving their bowlers something to fight with.
A Tale of Two Halves: Sri Lanka's Rollercoaster Chase
When Sri Lanka A came out to chase 154, they looked like they were in a hurry. Openers Lasith Croospulle and Vishen Halambage came out all guns blazing. Croospulle, in particular, was on fire, smashing 27 runs from just 7 balls. The first over from Ubaid Shah went for a whopping 17 runs, and Sri Lanka seemed to be coasting. Halambage also played his part with a solid 29, and their early 46-run partnership made the chase look like a walk in the park. They were finding the boundaries with ease, and the pressure was squarely back on Pakistan.
But then, the tide turned dramatically. Another important factor is Here's where Pakistan's bowlers, especially the spinners, stepped up and showed their class. The dynamic duo of Sufiyan Muqeem and Saad Masood completely ripped through the Sri Lankan batting lineup. Masood was the first to strike, trapping Nishan Madushka LBW, and later getting the crucial wicket of Sahan Arachchige thanks to a brilliant catch by Yasir Khan. Muqeem was simply unplayable, ending with incredible figures of 3 for 12. He dismissed Halambage with an LBW and then bowled Ramesh Mendis for a duck, completely dismantling Sri Lanka's middle order. The wickets just kept tumbling, and suddenly, from a position of strength, Sri Lanka found themselves struggling at 101/8.
The Spinners' Squeeze
What was so impressive about Pakistan's bowling was not just the wickets but the sheer pressure they built. In the middle overs, runs became incredibly hard to come by. Muqeem's 10th over was a masterclass, conceding just two runs and picking up the wicket of Mendis. Later, between overs 15 and 16, Sri Lanka could barely get the ball off the square. Shahid Aziz was particularly economical, returning to the attack in the 16th over and conceding just four runs. The disciplined lines and smart field placements meant that boundaries dried up, and the batters were forced into risky singles, leading to more mistakes. It was a textbook example of how to defend a modest total through tactical brilliance and relentless pressure.
The Final Over Thriller
Just when it looked like Pakistan had it in the bag, the game had one more twist in store. It's important to highlight Sri Lanka’s Milan Rathnayake wasn't going down without a fight. He launched a valiant late counter-attack, scoring a crucial 40 off 32 balls. He smashed a six and a four off Shahid Aziz in the 18th over, suddenly bringing the equation down to 21 needed off the last two overs. It's important to highlight The tension was palpable. Could he pull off a miracle.
It all came down to the final over, with Sri Lanka needing 15 runs to win. The ball was handed to Ubaid Shah, who had the immense pressure of defending the total and sending his team to the final. He held his nerve brilliantly. Despite conceding a boundary early on, he came back strong. A crucial wicket of Rathnayake through an lbw on the third ball of the over swung the momentum back to Pakistan. The final ball saw a desperate run-out, sealing a tense, heart-stopping five-run victory for the Pakistan Shaheens. It was a fittingly dramatic end to an incredible game of cricket.
Conclusion
What a match. This semi-final was a testament to Pakistan's bowling depth and their ability to stay composed under extreme pressure. After a shaky start with the bat, their lower-order resilience and a world-class performance from their spinners, particularly Sufiyan Muqeem and Saad Masood, made all the difference. For Sri Lanka, it was a story of what could have been, undone by a devastating mid-innings collapse. With this thrilling victory, the Pakistan Shaheens have rightfully earned their place in the final, where they will face a formidable Bangladesh A side on November 23rd. If this semi-final is anything to go by, we are in for an absolute treat.
