Sunday clearly did not belong to the Pakistan cricket team in the Asia Cup final. The Babar Azam-led side looked like taking control early on when they reduced Sri Lanka to 58/5 but Bhanuka Rajapaksa's heroic half-century took his team to 170/6 in 20 overs. While chasing, Pakistan were all out for 147 despite being 93/2 at one stage. After the final, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ramiz Raja was asked by an Indian journalist about what message he would like to give to Pakistan people who were unhappy with the loss. The former Pakistan captain did not take this question happily and said: "You are from India right? Your people would be very happy today." Raja then snatched the phone from the journalist's hand before giving it back.
The journalist later uploaded the video of the incident with the caption "....that's not right Mr Chairman Taking my phone was not right @TheRealPCB @iramizraja."
Fans also reacted angrily to what Raja did.
In the final on Sunday, Sri Lanka found 11 heroes on the cricket pitch as Dasun Shanaka's unheralded bunch crushed Pakistan by 23 runs to win their sixth Asia Cup title in Dubai on Sunday. Sri Lanka first raised themselves from the dungeons to reach 170 for 6 from a hopeless 58 for 5 because of Bhanuka Rajapaksa's 45-ball-71, easily one of the best knocks under pressure in T20s in recent times.
If that wasn't enough, Pakistan, who were cruising along at 93 for 2, were finally bowled out Pakistan for 147 as pacer Pramod Madushan (4/34 in 4 overs) and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (3/27 in 4 overs) ensured that the few thousands of Sri Lankan fans out cheered the 20,000 odd Pakistan fans.
With PTI inputs