Sri Lanka hold a slight edge over Pakistan  heading into Sunday’s semi-final, although contests between the two sides have generally been close in this format. Their most recent meeting came in the Asia Cup semi-final, where Sri Lanka overcame Pakistan despite an all-round threat from Fatima Sana.

In the Asian Games quarter-final, Pakistan were pushed hard again, surviving a Thailand scare  in a rain-affected chase of 92. They slipped to 47 for 4 before Sana came to their rescue, reinforcing the reliance on captain when their batting has faltered

Sri Lanka saved their most dismal batting performance of the series for last as they were bowled out for 124, a target which England knocked off in just 9.4 overs. The result secured a 3-0 series sweep, and subjected Sri Lanka to a 15th consecutive loss in T20Is against England, who regained the ICC No. 1 ranking from India in the process.

It was Harry Brook and Jos Buttler  once more in the thick of the chase, speeding to an 85-run partnership off just 39 deliveries. It meant that by the end of the powerplay England had comfortably squared away more than half of Sri Lanka’s total, as they surged to 82 for 1. By the end of the eighth over the 100 had come up, and not long after the chase was complete.

Buttler, fresh off reaching 15,000 T20 runs in the second T20I, racked up 62 more – off 32 deliveries – as he saw home the chase with a single-handed six over square leg. It was a fitting end to the series – England could have indeed wrapped this up with one hand behind their back.

Sri Lanka’s only moments of levity were when Aneurin Donald was stumped off Tharindu Ratnayake, and later a direct hit to run out Brook.

The visitors had brought in slinger Nuwan Thushara for Dushmantha Chameera but it made little difference with such a paltry total to defend. In any case he haemorrhaged 29 in a two-over spell, though his seam-bowling partners fared not much better; Eshan Malinga was hit for 34 in his 1.4 overs, while Dilshan Madushanka gave away 23 in two.

It was a display of batting that showcased precisely why this same surface had produced a total of 304 for England batting first against South Africa just last year. It also brought into sharp contrast Sri Lanka’s effort which had seen them plumb to the lowest first-innings T20I total at Old Trafford since 2018.

In the Lankan innings, it was once more Pathum Nissanka that provided any sort of spark during a brisk 36 off 24, and then as wickets fell in clumps Kamindu Mendis matched him with a 28-ball 35. But apart from those two acts of defiance, it was a veritable procession as England locked up run-scoring avenues and picked up wickets with alarming regularity.

With a heavy breeze blowing across the stadium there was considerable incentive to target one side of the ground, but Sri Lanka could only make use of the conditions sporadically. And even on the occasions they did clear the ropes, they were unable to supplement it sufficiently; of the seven sixes scored in the innings only on one occasion was there another boundary scored in that over, while on two occasions a wicket followed shortly after. And of the seven overs in which Sri Lanka scored sixes, only three produced a double-digit scoring rate.

(Cricinfo)

The quarter-finals of the Asian Games women’s competition, putting top-notch teams against teams without much experience of playing at the highest level, were expected to be mismatches. It took till the third game – Bangladesh vs China was washed out and Thailand gave Pakistan a fright for a proper one-side affair, though, as Sri Lanka bashed 160 after opting to bat, and their bowlers then stopped Malaysia 86 runs short.

Fresh off their appearance in the final of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup, Sri Lanka were always expected to dominate, but it didn’t quite start the way they wanted, with Imesha Dulani run out for another low score in the third over – she hasn’t topped 25 in eight innings since her century against Pakistan on July 31.

Chamari Athapaththu, however, stitched together an 80-run stand off just 53 balls with Hasini Perera for the second wicket, scoring 56 runs in 27 balls to Perera’s 23 in 26 in the collaboration. After the two batters fell, Kavisha Dilhari played a similar role to Athapaththu in the stand with Harshitha Samarawickrama, scoring 36 in 19 in a stand worth 62 in 37 balls.

Athapaththu top-scored with 63 in 37 balls, while Dilhari’s unbeaten 44 came off just 27 balls. For Malaysia, offspinner Nurin Imanina impressed with 3 for 29 from her four overs, picking up all the wickets to fall to bowlers.

In reply, Malaysia were three down inside the powerplay, with Dilhari picking up two of the wickets to fall on her way to returns of 2 for 4 from three overs. Athapaththu chipped in with two wickets of her own to finish with 2 for 3 from two overs, while Mithali Ayodhya got 2 for 15 from three.

It’s not like there was no resistance from Malaysia: Winifred Duraisingam scored 28, though it took her 47 balls to do it, while Mahirah Izzati Ismail scored 24, another slow effort, taking her 42 balls.

Scores:

Sri Lanka Women 160 for 4 in 20 overs (Athapaththu 63, HasinMithali Ayodhya 2-15i Perera 23, Kavisha Dilhari 44*, Harshitha Samarawickrema 25; Nurin Imanina 3-29) beat Malaysia Women 74 for 7 in 20 overs (Winifred Duraisingam 28, Mahirah Izzati Ismail 24; Mithali Ayodhya 2-15, Kavisha Dilhari 2-04, Chamari Athapaththu 2-03, ) by 86 runs

[Cricinfo]