DOHA: Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka by 5 runs to qualify for the final of the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025.
A nerve breaking game, Pakistan were able to defend the target of 154 runs by restricting Sri Lanka to 148 for 9 till the final ball.
Sri Lankan batter Ratkhnayaka was judged leg before wickets even though the ball was sliding down the leg side after he played a splendid knock of 40 off just 32 balls.
His dismissal came at a crucial stage of the game when Sri Lanka needed only 8 runs off 4 deliveries.
Rathnayaka brought his side very close to winning the match. Masood and Sufyan Muqeem picked up 3 wickets each.
Halambage scored 29 runs and Croospulle managed 27 runs.
Earlier, after having been sent into bat , Pakistan made 153 runs in the allotted 20 overs, Ghazi Ghouri made a not out 39 runs-knock.
Maaz Sadaqat got the start and made 23 off just 12 balls before he was caught by Ramesh Mendis. Saad Masood and Ahmed Daniyal made 22 runs each.
Pramod Madhushan of Sri Lanka A picked up 4 wickets after conceding only 29 runs. Mathews too , bowled superbly and picked up 3 for 22.
Pakistan have now qualified for the final of the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025.
The final will be played between Pakistan and Bangladesh on Sunday.
Bangladesh had beaten India in the in the Semi Final after a super over -thriller.
Bangladesh had got a target of 1 runs after two Indian batters were dismissed without scoring in the semi final.
Bangladesh also lost a wicket on the first ball which was followed with a wide-ball to make Bangladesh through.
