Sri Lanka qualify for final for third time
ThePapareNews article
Sri Lanka Women qualified for the final of the 2026 Women’s T20 Asia Cup. The defending champions secured their place with a 4-wicket victory over Pakistan on the 11th.
Sri Lanka have now reached the final in each of the last three editions of the Asia Cup.
Pakistan named an unchanged side for the match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, while Sri Lanka made two changes.
Hasini Perera came in for Vishmi Gunaratne, while Mithali Ayodhya replaced Chethana Vimukthi in the Sri Lanka side.
Sri Lanka Women’s team
Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Imesha Dulani, Sanjana Kavindi, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wicketkeeper), Sugandika Kumari, Chamudi Praboda and Mithali Ayodhya.
Pakistan Women’s team
Fatima Sana (captain), Muneeba Ali (wicketkeeper), Shawaal Zulfiqar, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Sadaf Shamas, Tuba Hassan, Eyman Fatima, Umm-e-Hani, Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal.
Asked to bat after Sri Lanka’s captain won the toss, Pakistan posted 130 for 5. Sri Lanka reached their target with 6 wickets down and 8 balls to spare.
Despite an unconvincing start to the chase, spirited batting from the middle order carried Sri Lanka to victory.
Harshitha Samarawickrama scored 36 off 31 balls with 2 fours, while Kavisha Dilhari made 33 off 33 balls with 4 fours.
The pair added 67 off 59 balls for the fifth wicket.
Imesha Dulani, who opened alongside Chamari Athapaththu, scored 24 off 21 balls with 4 fours. Athapaththu was again restricted to single figures (5), as were Sanjana Kavindi (0) and Hasini Perera (3).
At the finish, Nilakshika Silva was unbeaten on 18 off 10 balls with 3 fours, while Kaushini Nuthyangana had 10 not out off 4 balls, including a six.
The pair put on an unbeaten 25 off 10 balls for the seventh wicket to take Sri Lanka to victory.
Right-arm medium-pacer Fatima Sana returned the innings’ best bowling figures with 4 for 38. It was her best performance in a T20 international career spanning 67 matches.
Umm-e-Hani and Sadia Iqbal took a wicket each.
Captain Fatima Sana also top-scored for Pakistan after they were put in to bat, finishing unbeaten on 47 off 36 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes.
She shared an unbeaten sixth-wicket stand of 38 off 24 balls with Tuba Hassan (12 not out) to close Pakistan’s innings, having earlier added 40 off 37 balls with Gull Feroza for the fifth wicket.
Gull Feroza scored 21 off 32 balls with a four, while Shawaal Zulfiqar made 24 off 16 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes.
Chamari Athapaththu and Kavisha Dilhari took 2 wickets apiece, while Sugandika Kumari claimed one.
Brief scores
Pakistan Women – 130 for 5 (20.0) Shawaal Zulfiqar 24, Gull Feroza 21, Fatima Sana 47 not out, Chamari Athapaththu 2/24, Chamudi Praboda 2/25
Sri Lanka Women – 134 for 6 (18.4) Imesha Dulani 24, Harshitha Samarawickrama 36, Kavisha Dilhari 33, Nilakshika Silva 18 not out, Fatima Sana 4/38
Player of the Match – Fatima Sana (Pakistan)
India had already qualified for the final by beating Bangladesh in the first semi-final, played before Sri Lanka’s victory. The two sides will meet in the final on the 13th of this month, also at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
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Based on ThePapare reporting