Pakistan Eliminates Sri Lanka with Five-Wicket Win

Pakistan edged Sri Lanka by five wickets in an Asia Cup Super Four match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, chasing 134 and finishing 138/5 in 18 overs to keep their tournament hopes alive. An unbroken 58-run sixth-wicket stand between Mohammad Nawaz (38*) and Hussain Talat (32*) rescued Pakistan from 80/5 and sealed the win with two overs to spare. Shaheen Shah Afridi led the attack with 3/28 as Pakistan’s bowlers, including Abrar Ahmed (1/8), held Sri Lanka to 133/8 with Kamindu Mendis top-scoring with 50. Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana took key wickets and Hasaranga produced a stunning low one-handed catch, but Sri Lanka’s total proved insufficient. The victory eliminated Sri Lanka from the Asia Cup, kept Pakistan in contention after their loss to India, and marked Pakistan’s first T20I win over Sri Lanka in eight years.