Champions Trophy: Butter fingers Sri Lanka gift wrap semifinal spot to determined Pakistan

 

Photo: AP

New Delhi: Sri Lankan fielder’s butter fingers allowed Sarfraz Ahmed (61) to guide Pakistan to a 3-wicket win in a virtual quarter final to enter the Champions Trophy semifinal at Cardiff on Monday. Pakistan will meet Group A toppers England in the first semifinal on Wednesday at the same venue. Sri Lanka only had themselves to blame by dropping Sarfaz Ahmed twice – both off the bowling of Malinga in a crunch situation. First it was Thisara Perera, who grasped a dolly and then in the next over substitute Sekkuge Prasanna let the ball pop out of his hands. Chasing a modest 237 to win, opener Fakhar Zaman (50) slammed a 36-ball 50 at the top but Pakistan suffered an inexplicable collapse to slip to 162-7. Fakhar blasted eight boundaries and one six to score his fifty but he top-edged a Nuwan Pradeep delivery next to Gunaratne at fine leg as Pakistan lost their first wicket in the 12th over. Pakistan then lost three quick wickets -- Babar Azam (10), Mohammad Hafeez (1) and Azhar Ali (34) to slip from 92-1 to 110-4 in the 20th over. Shoaib Malik (11) and Imad Wasim (4) also coudn't last long and perished in consecutive overs as Pakistan slumped to 137-6 in 25.4 overs. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who was dropped twice in the 39th and 41st over off Malinga, made good use of the chances to produce a match-winning innings and in company of Amir took the team home. Earlier, Danuhska Gunathilaka (13) was scalped early by Junaid but Dickwella and Kusal Mendis (27) stitched a 56- run stand to keep Sri Lanka going. Things looked settled for the Island nation before Hasan Ali came up with a fiery spell, in which he troubled Mendis with pace and bounce before eventually bowling him out. It brought Dinesh Chandimal to the crease but his stay was reduced to just two balls as the batsman dragged one from Fahim Ashraf onto his stumps, going for a drive. Two wickets in three balls, however, did not bother Sri Lanka much as Dickwella remained solid at the other end and soon completed his half-century with a single off Mohammed Hafeez. Skipper Mathews supported his colleague with a patient knock. The two batsmen rotated the strike quite easily, which not only kept the scoreboard ticking, but also put pressure back on Pakistan. Frustration grew among Pakistan players with Mathews and Dickwella raising a resolute 78-run stand for the fourth wicket in 16.1 overs. Amir was brought into the attack and he delivered with his second ball, getting rid of Mathews, who miscued a shot and dragged it onto his stumps. It was the first wicket of the tournament for Amir and it came at a crucial time for Pakistan. Junaid sent back new man Dhananjaya de Silva (1) and Amir returned to dismiss Dickwella, who fell to a sensational low catch by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed. Junaid saw the back of Thisara Perera to rattle the Lankan innings.