Pakistani batters put up a target of 153 runs that they successfully defended against Sri Lanka A during ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 semifinal in Doha. PHOTO: PCB
Pakistan Shaheens qualified for the final of the Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025.
They got over the line by five runs in a last-ball thriller against Sri Lanka A, while defending the 153-run total in the second semi-final at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Doha on Friday night.
Shaheens will now face Bangladesh A in the final of the tournament on Sunday, 23 November at the same venue in a bid to win their maiden T20 iteration of this event, having triumphed in the 50-over format in 2019 and 2023.
In the successful defence of their total, Shaheens benefitted from the skill and guile of wrist-spinners Sufyan Moqim and Saad Masood, who returned combined figures of 6-30 in their eight overs and derailed Sri Lanka A’s momentum after they were 74-2 in 7.2 overs, as they lost 8-84 from thereon, according to the press release by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Towards the end, Sri Lanka A’s no.8 batter Milan Rathnayake, who struck 40 off 32 balls and was one of their three batters to enter double figures, threatened to take the game away from Shaheens after walking in to bat at 79-6 in the 10th over.
Rathnayake formed a 47-run stand with Traveen Mathew (4 not out, 12b), as the former struck five fours and one six in his outing. Requiring 46 runs in the last four overs, Rathnayake launched two fours in the 17th over and a four and six in 18th over to take 25 runs combined.
Pacer Ahmed Daniyal then delivered a six-run penultimate over to give Ubaid Shah 15 runs to defend. With three extras in the form of wides and a four via Rathnayake on the first two balls, Sri Lanka A seemed to be marching towards victory before Ubaid’s pin-point yorker pinned the left-hander leg-before on the third ball.
No.11 batter Garuka Sanketh was required to hit the last ball for six to give his team a triumph, which he failed to connect as Shaheens reaped the five-run win and a berth in the final.
Sri Lanka A’s opening batter Lasith Croospulle provided his team with a fiery start as he scored 27 off seven balls hitting two fours and three sixes and departed within the first nine balls of the chase.
Player of the match Saad – introduced in the fourth over – first struck to remove Nishan Madushka as Sri Lanka gathered 67 runs for two wickets in the Powerplay.
With Sri Lanka A marching at 10.5 runs an over and requiring a shade over run-a-ball, Sufyan Moqim thwarted their advance with two wickets in three balls in the eighth over also removing the set opening batter Vishen Halambage (29, 27b, 2x4s, 3x6s).
Shaheens then made further inroads in the Sri Lankan innings as Ahmed Daniyal removed their skipper Dunith Wellalage in the ninth over, while Sufyan removed Ramesh Mendis in the subsequent over.
Saad then landed his second blow in 12th over and third in 14th over to leave them 99-8, with the asking rate nearing nine as Rathnayake took centre stage.
For Shaheens, Sufyan and Saad’s bowling analysis read as 3-12 and 3-18, respectively, while Daniyal, Shahid and Ubaid picked up one wicket each.
Earlier, Pakistan Shaheens slipped to 62-5 after Sri Lanka has opted to bowl first. Opening batters Maaz Sadaqat (23, 11b, 2x4s, 2x6s) and Mohammad Naeem (16, 15b, 3x4s) put on 30-run stand in 3.4 overs before Sri Lanka bowlers got into the act.
Shaheens lost four wickets for 22 runs after being 40-1 in 4.3 overs, which brought top-scorer Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (39 not out, 36b, 2x4s, 1×6) and Saad Masood (22, 25b, 3x4s) to the middle. The duo put on 47 runs for the sixth wicket to push Pakistan past the three-digit mark.
Ahmed Daniyal (22, 8b) provided Shaheens the late flourish with three sixes, two of which came in the 19th over, while one in the last over as they posted a competitive 153-9 in the allotted 20 overs.
For Sri Lanka, Pramod Madushan picked up 4-29 in four overs, while Traveen Mathew returned figures of 4-0-22-3.
Scores in brief
Second Semi-final – Pakistan Shaheens beat Sri Lanka A by five runs at West End Park International Cricket Stadium, Doha
Pakistan Shaheens 153-9, 20 overs (Muhammad Ghazi Ghori 39 not out, Maaz Sadaqat 23, Ahmed Daniyal 22, Saad Masood 22; Pramod Madushan 4-29, Traveen Mathew 3-22)
Sri Lanka A 148 all out, 20 overs (Milan Rathnayake 40, Vishen Halambage 29, Lasith Croospulle 27; Sufyan Moqim 3-12, Saad Masood 3-18)
Player of the match – Saad Masood (Pakistan Shaheens)
