Sri Lanka beat Pakistan to clinch Hong Kong Super Sixes title

HONG KONG: Sri Lanka outclassed Pakistan by three wickets and won the Hong Kong Super Sixes 2024 title on Sunday.

Sri Lanka chased down the modest 73-run target for the loss of three wickets and six balls to spare.

They had a decent start to the pursuit as openers Sandun Weerakkody and Dhananjaya Lakshan recorded a brisk 39-run partnership.

Skipper Faheem Ashraf drew the much-needed breakthrough for Pakistan in the fourth over by dismissing set batter Weerakkody, who top-scored with a 13-ball 34.

Pakistan then struck twice in quick succession and had reduced Sri Lanka to 59/3 in 4.2 overs but Tharindu Rathnayake played a gutsy 16-run knock under pressure and took his side over the line in the penultimate over.

For Pakistan, Hussain Talat and Faheem could pick up a wicket apiece.

Sri Lanka captain Lihuru Madhusanka’s decision to bowl first bore fruits as his bowlers bundled out Pakistan on a modest total despite Muhammad Akhlaq’s quickfire knock up the order.

The wicketkeeper batter waged a lone battle for Pakistan with a 20-ball 48 until falling victim to Lihuru Madhusanka in the final over.

The next-best contribution to Pakistan's total came from skipper Faheem Ashraf, who scored 13 off four deliveries.

For Sri Lanka, Lakshan and Tharindu Rathnayake bagged two wickets each while Nimesh Vimukthi and Lihuru Madhushanka shared two wickets between them.

Earlier in the semi-final, skipper Faheem Ashraf’s all-round brilliance powered Pakistan to beat Australia and qualify for the final.

Put into bat first, Australia notched a commendable total of 107/1 in the allotted six overs.

Opening batters Sam Heazlett and Jack Wood gave Australia a steady start by putting together a dominant 56-run partnership.

The duo appeared to have settled down until Faheem breached Wood’s defence and cleaned him up in the fourth over.

Wood struck four fours and two sixes on his way to a 17-ball 36.

Coming out to bat at No.3, Dan Christian took no time to settle down and went after the Pakistan bowlers. He smashed a quickfire 42 off just 10 balls and remained the top-scorer for Australia, while skipper Heazlett remained unbeaten on a nine-ball 26.

For Pakistan, skipper Faheem claimed the solitary wicket.

Set to chase 108, Pakistan knocked the winning runs on the penultimate delivery when Faheem hit Christian for a match-sealing four.

Earlier, in-form openers once again provided Pakistan with a flamboyant start as they put together 40 runs in just nine deliveries.

Asif Ali, who was the core aggressor of the opening stand, perished on the fifth delivery of the second over after scoring a swashbuckling 32 off just eight deliveries. His knock featured five sixes.

Muhammad Akhlaq made sure to keep the momentum in Pakistan’s favour as he kept up the pace until his dismissal in the fourth over. He scored 32 off 10 balls, hitting three fours and as many sixes in the process.

Faheem Ashraf was then joined by all-rounder Aamer Yamin and together they knitted a match-winning 38-run partnership which took Pakistan over the line with a ball to spare.

Faheem scored an unbeaten 19 from nine balls, while Yamin made 24 not out off just eight deliveries.