Asia Cup 2022: SL vs PAK: Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Pakistan (Predicted), Super Four, Match 6 (B1 vs A2)

Asia Cup 2022: SL vs PAK: Sri Lanka Playing 11 (Predicted) vs Pakistan, Super Four, Match 6 (B1 vs A2). Asia Cup has lived up to its expectations with close encounters and thrilling finishes so far. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have bettered India and Afghanistan in the Super 4 stages to qualify for the finals.

This Asia Cup 2022 tournament has been a big audition for the 2022 T20I World Cup later this year. Both teams will look to win this inconsequential last Super 4 match and go into the finals with confidence and momentum on their side. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will meet each other on 9th September 2022 in Dubai before meeting again on Sunday, 11th September at the same venue.

Against India in the Super 4 match, Sri Lanka openers Kusal Mendis (57 runs) and Pathum Nissanka (52 runs) took on the chase with their aggressive 97-run opening partnership. They suffered a mini-collapse in the middle overs from 97-0 to 110-4. Dasun Shanaka (33* runs) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (25* runs) then shared a 64-run unbeaten partnership to take their team across the line.

Dilshan Madushanka was the pick of the bowlers with bowling figures of 3/24 in the match. Maheesh Theekshana and Chamika Karunaratne picked up 3 wickets between them and gave runs at less than 7 RPO in the match. Dasun Shanaka and Wanidu Hasaranga were a little expensive in their overs in the last Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 game against India. Rohit Sharma’s 72 and Yuzvendra Chahal’s 3-wicket haul went in vain.

Sri Lanka 174 for 4 (Mendis 57, Nissanka 52, Chahal 3-34) beat India 173 for 8 (Rohit 72, Madushanka 3-24) by six wickets

Sri Lanka had done the unthinkable. To beat India in a T20I game in itself is a big achievement for them, and for them to do it in a big ticket tournament like the Asia Cup 2022 is something they should be mighty proud of. Their openers are in supreme form and their bowlers are delivering time and again, more importantly, their skipper Dasun Shanaka is leading from the front with both bat and ball.

The likes of Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Jeffrey Vandersay, Ashen Bandara, Praveen Jayawixkrama, Nuwanidu Fernando, Promod Madushan, Nuwan Thushara, and Matheesha Pathirana are warming the bench and may get their chances in the dead rubber against Pakistan.

Asia Cup 2022: SL vs PAK: Sri Lanka Playing 11 vs Pakistan (Predicted), Super Four, Match 6 (B1 vs A2)

Kusal Mendis

Kusal Mendis is arguably the most talented batter in the Sri Lankan playing XI and will be crucial for their chances in the Asia Cup 2022. The 27-year-old elegant batter is a vital cog in the Sri Lanka batting lineup. He scored only 2 off 4 balls against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 opening fixture before being the 1st wicket to fall after being a victim of MOM Fazalhaq Farooqi.

He scored a vital 60 off 37 balls against Bangladesh to see Sri Lanka scrape through to the Super 4 in their last Asia Cup 2022 group game. He top-scored for the islanders against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka’s first Super 4 match scoring 36 from only 19 balls at a Strike Rate of 189.47. He scored another fifty (57) off 37 balls in Sri Lankan win against defending champions India in Super 4.

Pathum Nissanka

Sri Lanka’s right-hand opening batter Pathum Nissanka is just one year into his international career but has already showcased his talent with some memorable innings, especially in white-ball cricket. The 24-year-old did not perform up to his usual high standard in the T20I series against World Champions Australia in June but made amends in the ODI series that followed. He registered two 50+ scores in the five-match series, including a match-winning ton in the third ODI.

He scored only 3 off 7 balls before edging one off Naveen-ul-Haq against Afghanistan before scoring 20 off 29 against Bangladesh in their last Asia Cup 2022 group league game, before being dismissed by debutant Ebadot Hossain. He scored 35 off 28 balls against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka’s first Super 4 game. He also scored fifty (52) in Sri Lankan win against India in Super 4 and was involved in a 97-run partnership with Kusal Mendis.

Charith Asalanka

Charith Asalanka is another young Sri Lankan batter who has made great strides in white-ball cricket since making his debut for the national team in ODIs in June last year.

He was out for a first-ball duck being lbw off Fazalhaq Farooqi of Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 opener. He scored only 1 against Bangladesh before being dismissed by debutant pacer Ebadot Hossain. He failed again against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 game, scoring 8 of 14 balls. His poor form continued in Asia Cup 2022 as he was dismissed again without scoring against India in the super 4.

He may be replaced by Dinesh Chandimal against Pakistan if Sri Lankan management opts for a change in the winning XI. Dinesh Chandimal, who missed the team’s last T20I assignment – a home series against Australia in June-July is in Asia Cup 2022 squad. Dinesh Chandimal’s last T20I outing came against India in February this year. The keeper has amassed 1062 runs averaging 19.67 in 68 T20Is.

Danushka Gunathilaka

Danushka Gunathilaka scored a run-a-ball 17 against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2022 opening fixture. Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed him. He scored 11 off 6 balls but was dismissed by Bangladesh’s debutant pacer Ebadot Hossain in the 2nd and final group league match. He scored 33 off 20 balls including 2 fours and as many sixes against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 game. He scored only 1 off 7 balls before being dismissed by Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in a Super 4 match.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa

Bhanuka Rajapaksa showcased his six-hitting abilities in the 2022 edition of the IPL, featuring for the Punjab Kings as a pinch hitter in the middle overs. He was given the license to have a go at the bowlers, something that comes naturally to the batter.

Unfortunately, the 30-year-old has failed to transcend his batting prowess from the domestic leagues to the international level as he had a miserable run with the bat in the T20I series against Australia, failing to even breach the 20-run mark in three outings. He scored 30 runs in 3 innings averaging a mere 10 against the 2021 T20I World Cup Winner Australia in the previous bilateral assignment.

e top-scored with 38 off 29 balls before being run out against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 opener. However, he could score only 2 against Bangladesh off 4 balls before Taskin Ahmed dismissed him. He scored 31 off 14 balls against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 game. He scored 25 runs off 17 balls against India in the Super 4 game.

Dasun Shanaka

Dasun Shanaka started as an all-rounder for the Sri Lankan team but has played purely as a batter in the last six months, especially in T20Is. His presence at the crease has inspired the team to some incredible victories recently. He scored a first-ball duck against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2022 opener before being dismissed by Mohammad Nabi.

He also didn’t bowl in that match. Against Bangladesh, he scored a vital 45 off 33 balls which was instrumental in Sri Lanka beating the spirited Asian team and progressing to the Super 4. He scored 10 off 9 balls and promoted himself up the batting order against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 game. He was expensive with the ball conceding 22 runs in 2 wicketless overs.

He scored an unbeaten 33 off 18 balls against India in Super 4 and also took 2/26 in 2 overs. He was awarded MOM for his all-round effort.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Wanindu Hasaranga was the leading wicket-taker in T20Is in 2021 and continued his sensational form in IPL 2022 for Royal Challengers Bangalore, scalping a total of 26 wickets, just one short of the Purple Cap winner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Wanindu Hasaranga picked Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s scalp and was the only Sri Lankan player to pick a wicket against Afghanistan. He was economical too, returning with figures of 1/19 off 3 overs. Against Bangladesh, he picked 2/41 dismissing Mahmudullah and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

Against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 game, he was wicketless and returned with figures of 0/23 in 4 overs. But he scored an unbeaten 16 off 9 balls including 3 fours which was vital in seeing Sri Lanka win by 4 wickets against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 Asia Cup 2022 game. He was expensive against India in Super 4, returning with figures of 0/39 in 4 overs.

 Chamika Karunaratne

Chamika Karunaratne, the right-arm pacer will have more responsibility on his shoulders as pace bowling partner Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of Asia Cup 2022 due to injury.

He conceded 20 runs off the solitary over he bowled and scored 31 off 38 balls before being bowled by Fazalhaq Farooqi in the Asia Cup 2022 Cup opener against Afghanistan. He was run out after scoring 16 and picked 2/32 against Bangladesh, picking up scalps of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahedi Hasan.

Although the 26-year-old has failed to dismiss batters consistently, he has done relatively well in the middle overs, stifling the flow of runs. His variations are also going to be key at the pitches in UAE. He was too expensive against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 game conceding 29 runs in 2 overs. He scored the winning runs-hitting a boundary off Fazalhaq Farooqi to stay unbeaten on 5. He returned with figures of 2/27 against India in Super 4.

Maheesh Theekshana

Maheesh Theekshana, the 22-year-old’s action, and bowling style are a bit similar to Indian bowling ace Ravichandran Ashwin, and he often uses the carrom ball to deceive the batters, a trademark delivery of Ravichandran Ashwin. His partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga will be crucial for Sri Lanka in the middle overs.

He was run out without facing a ball against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 opener. He affected the run-out of Ibrahim Zadran and conceded 35 runs in 4 wicketless overs in that match. He picked Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan’s scalp returning with figures of 1/23 in 4 overs against Bangladesh. He returned with figures of 1/29 in 4 overs against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 game and figures of 1/29 against India in another Super 4 game.

Dilshan Madushanaka

The 21-year-old left-arm seamer, Dilshan Madushanka, has also found a place in the Asia Cup 2022 squad. He debuted with Matheesha Pathirana in the Asia Cup 2022 match against Afghanistan and bowled an over where he conceded 10 runs.

Against Bangladesh, he returned with figures of 1/26, picking Afif Hossain’s scalp. He picked the most wickets against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 first fixture-returning with figures of 2/37. He picked 3/24 in 4 overs against India in a Super 4 match, picking scalps of Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Deepak Hooda.

Asitha Fernando

Asitha Fernando picked 1 scalp of Bangladesh’s Sabbir Rahman but was expensive, returning with figures of 1/51, replacing Matheesha Pathirana, who was too costly in his debut T20I (0/16 in 1 over). Sri Lanka lost their way in the middle innings, but Asitha Fernando turned out to be an unlikely hero as he scored 10 off just 3 balls to help his team pull off the highest-ever chase in UAE.

It was his debut T20I although he has played 7 Tests and 4 ODIs since debuting in 2017 in the ODIs. He picked 1 wicket conceding 34 runs against Afghanistan in the first Super 4 fixture. It was the wicket of MOM and Asia Cup 2022 leading run scorer Afghanistan keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz. He was expensive against India in Super 4, conceding 28 runs in 2 wicketless overs.