Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka on Sunday at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
This is the fourth time Pakistan and Sri Lanka are taking on each other in the Asia Cup final. Sri Lanka won twice on the last three occasions while Pakistan won one. Now Pakistan got a great chance to catch up with Sri Lanka, reports UNB.
Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan lost a match during the group stage. While Sri Lanka suffered a big defeat in the event opener against Afghanistan, Pakistan lost to India in a nail-biting finish.
But in the Super 4, both the teams turned around strongly. Sri Lanka won all the three Super 4 matches beating Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, while Pakistan beat Afghanistan and India but suffered a defeat against Sri Lanka in the match before the final.
Pakistan brought in Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah for the final replacing Hasan Ali and Usman Qadir. But Sri Lanka fielded the same team that beat Pakistan in the last match.
This is the 15th Asia Cup final for the Lankans— most by any team.
Both teams have seen different match-winners throughout the event. While Kusal Mendis, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theeksana were the heroes of Sri Lanka. For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah were the start performers.
The final promises to be a great battle between the real fighters of the Asia Cup 2022.
Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Danushka Gunathilaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Pramod Madushan, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka
Pakistan (Playing XI): Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain
