Pakistan vs Sri Lanka - Highlights, Asia Cup T20 2016: Umar Akmal Helps Pakistan To Six-Wicket Win

Chasing 151, Pakistan got off to a fast start thanks to an aggressive knock from Sharjeel Khan. However, after a stumble in the middle overs, Sarfraz Ahmed and Umar Akmal chipped in with some vital knocks as Pakistan secured a six-wicket win to give themselves confidence ahead of the important World Twenty20. (SCORECARD | POINTS TABLE | NEWS |ASIA CUP T20)

Umar Akmal slammed a 37-ball 48 to give Pakistan victory by six wickets against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup clash.

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22:26 hrs IST: Here are some of the post-match quotes:

Dinesh Chandimal: We were short by around 15 runs with the bat.

Shahid Afridi: We showed today how good we are. Just need to have a little more self-belief

Umar Akmal is the Man of the Match for his knock of 48 off 37 balls.

22:15 hrs IST: Pakistan win by six wickets as Sri Lanka's woes continue. In their last nine Twenty20 internationals, they have won only two matches. Umar Akmal and Sarfraz Ahmed the stars for Pakistan.

22:09 hrs IST: WICKET! Brilliant catch from Perera. Umar Akmal launches it to long off but Perera flings himself to his left and takes a catch close to the boundary. Umar Akmal goes for a brilliant 48. Pakistan 150/4.

22:02 hrs IST: Kulasekara gives away eight runs in his third over. However, Niroshan Dickwella, the wicketkeeper concedes four byes in Chameera's fourth over as Pakistan come closer to victory. They are 141/3 after 18 overs, needing 10 off 12 balls.

21:54 hrs IST: Chameera gives away just two runs in the 16th over. Pakistan 121/3, need 30 runs off 24 balls.

21:48 hrs IST: Disastrous over from Milinda Siriwardana. He gives away 19 runs, including two fours and a six as Pakistan come closer to victory. They are 119/3 in 15 overs, need another 36 runs off 30 balls.

Sri Lanka stayed in the hunt by taking regular wickets against Pakistan in the Asia Cup encounter in Mirpur.

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21:41 hrs IST: WICKET! Big wicket and Milinda Siriwardana strikes. Sarfraz looks to sweep a full ball but he misses. Sarfraz lbw Siriwardana 38 (27). Pakistan 94/3 in 12.5 overs, need 57 off 43 balls

21:38 hrs IST: Sarfraz is keeping Pakistan in the hunt. He has moved to 38 off 26 balls and Pakistan have moved to 93/2  in 12 overs, needing 58 off 48 balls.

21:30 hrs IST: After 10 overs, Pakistan are 70/2, needing a further 81 runs for a win. Sarfraz Ahmed holds the key.

21:24 hrs IST: Last two overs, Pakistan have managed only six runs. The spin of Herath and Dilshan are choking Pakistan's run-flow.

21:19 hrs IST: WICKET! Short from Dilshan and Sharjeel mistimes the pull to long on. He rounds off a great over by flummoxing Umar Akmal and Sarfraz Ahmed. Sharjeel Khan c Kapugedera b Dilshan 31 (24). Pakistan 61/2 after 8 overs, needing 90 runs from 72 balls.

21:15 hrs IST: Sharjeel Khan is in fine form as he smashes four consecutive fours off Dushmantha Chameera. Pakistan bring up the 50 in the sixth over.

21:09 hrs IST: Pakistan have reached 34/1 after five overs. Steady start in the powerplay. They need 117 more off 90 balls.

21:04 hrs IST: Meanwhile, in more Twenty20 action, Australia have chosen to bat in the first Twenty20 against South Africa in Durban. Both teams will play a series of three Twenty20 internationals before the World Twenty20.

21:00 hrs IST: WICKET! Tame dismissal. Hafeez comes down the track and looks to work it to mid wicket, ends up checking the stroke and he chips it back to the bowler. Hafeez c and b Jayasuriya 14 (11). Pakistan 23/1 (3.3 ov).

20:52 hrs IST: Nuwan Kulasekara opens the bowling and gives away two runs. Mohammad Hafeez gets off the mark in the second over with a four past point off Thisara Perera. Pakistan 7/0 in 1.4 overs.

20:25 hrs IST: Sri Lanka manage 150/4 thanks to fifties from Dilshan and Chandimal. Pakistan will have to bat out of their skins to chase this total down.

20:19 hrs IST: Dropped! Mohammad Irfan drops a catch for the second time. Dilshan slogs a length ball and the top edge flies to third man, Irfan near the boundary spills the chance and Amir is livid. 14 runs given away in his final over. Can Sri Lanka cross 150?

20:14 hrs IST: WICKET! Irfan deceives Dasun Shanaka with a slower ball as the batsman misses with the slog. Shanaka b Irfan 0 (2).

20:12 hrs IST: WICKET! Chamara Kapugedera gives himself room and looks to launch a full ball down the ground but misses. Kapugedera b Mohammad Irfan 2 (3).

Tilakratne Dilshan

Tillakaratne Dilshan notched up his 12th fifty and his first against Pakistan as Sri Lanka reached a good total in the Asia Cup match.

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20:07 hrs IST: Dilshan notches up his 12th fifty off 42 balls. Surprisingly, it is his first against Pakistan. First fifty after eight matches.

20:03 hrs IST: WICKET! Pakistan fight back. Shoaib Malik flights a ball outside off, Shehan Jayasuriya mistimes the lofted shot and Sharjeel takes the catch at long off. Sri Lanka 117/2 (16 ov). Shehan Jayasuriya c Sharjeel b Shoaib Malik 4 (6).

19:57 hrs IST: WICKET! Pakistan strike. Wahab Riaz bangs a short ball outside off, Chandimal drags the pull to mid wicket but finds Sharjeel Khan. Chandimal c Sharjeel b Wahab 58 (49). Sri Lanka 110/1 (14.1)

19:52 hrs IST: BANG! Chandimal launches Nawaz straight down the ground and the partnership crosses 100. Sri Lanka 103/0 after 13.1 overs.

Dinesh Chandimal notched up his third fifty and second against Pakistan as Sri Lanka got off to a fast start against Pakistan.

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19:47 hrs IST: Dinesh Chandimal notches up his third Twenty20 international fifty off 43 balls. It is his second against Pakistan. Sri Lanka 91/0 (12.1 overs). Pakistan under pressure.

19:39 hrs IST: Chandimal comes closer to his fifty by crunching two consecutive fours off Wahab Riaz. The partnership is hurting Pakistan. After 10.3 overs, Sri Lanka are 74/0.

19:29 hrs IST: Fifty-run partnership up between Chandimal and Dilshan. Sri Lanka 56/0 after eight overs.

19:25 hrs IST: Horror start for Mohammad Nawaz. He gets smashed for 18 runs in his first over and Sri Lanka have moved along to 44/0 after six overs.

19:18 hrs IST: Shahid Afridi is into the attack. He creates a chance immediately as Chandimal top edges a slog sweep, but Mohammad Irfan running back at fine leg does not hold on to the chance. Sri Lanka 26/0 after five overs. Chandimal gets a life on 10.

19:04 hrs IST: Superb start for Mohammad Amir. Gets inswing at pace and both Dinesh Chandimal and Tillakaratne Dilshan survive. Chandimal gets off the mark with a cover drive. Sri Lanka 6/0 after one over.

18:50 hrs IST: Angelo Mathews has suffered a calf strain which has ruled him out for this match. Sri Lanka, who are already sweating over Lasith Malinga's fitness, have a new problem.

18:35 hrs IST: Here are the playing XIs for both teams

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Dinesh Chandimal(c), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Shehan Jayasuriya, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedera, Niroshan Dickwella(w), Thisara Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Rangana Herath
 

Pakistan (Playing XI): Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed(w), Shahid Afridi(c), Iftikhar Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Irfan

18:33 hrs IST: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bowl in this inconsequential match against Sri Lanka.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has not been in great form in the 2016 Asia Cup, scoring just 57 runs in three matches.

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With the ICC World T20 just days away, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will want to exit the Asia Cup 2016 with a smile on their face. Pakistan are already facing the heat back home with their Board initiating a probe as to why the former world champions played poor all-round cricket.
 
Sri Lanka, the defending Asia cup champions, have been equally shoddy. They have missed their talismanic bowling-captain Lasith Malinga and more importantly, limited over genius Tillakaratne Dilshan has been a shadow of the past. The failure of the talented Angelo Mathews has only added to the problem.
 

Mohammad Amir has been in sensational form in the 2016 Asia Cup, taking seven wickets in three games at an economy rate of 4.16.

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Pakistan's silver lining has been their bowling. Mohammad Amir's brilliant return to an international event has been their biggest hurrah. Pakistan's biggest problem has been their batting. Their best players - Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik and Khurram Manzoor have failed to click collectively.
 
With both sides packed with good bowlers - injured Malinga is unlikely to risk it in an inconsequential game - Friday's contest may see a low-scoring game. A score of 130 will be a challenging one on a Mirpur pitch that has generally been unpredictable.
 
In their last Twenty20 series in August last year, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 2-0. The highlight was a thrilling one-wicket win at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium after skipper Shahid Afridi smashed a match-winning 45 off 22 balls. But then consistency has never been Afridi's hall mark. Will Friday be any different?