The Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan went down the wire, with Dasun Shanaka‘s men securing the victory on the last ball of the match. Sri Lanka were given a target of 252 runs to chase by Pakistan after rain reduced the match to 42 overs per side. However, confusion with regards to the match has got fans scratching their heads, as both Pakistan and Sri Lanka managed to put 252 runs on the board. Yet, the match went in the favour of the islanders.
Batting first, Pakistan put 252 runs on he board for the loss of 7 wickets in 42 overs. But, initially, the match was supposed to be a 45 overs per side contest. It first started raining at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo before the match started, delaying the toss and the start of the game.
When the match first started, it was announced that each team would bat for 45 overs. But, rain came pouring again, prompting the authorities to reduce the match further to 42 over for each team. Pakistan were batting on 130/5 in 27.4 overs when the rain came pouring for the second time, making the match a 42-over contest.
Why Pakistan’s Revised Total was 251 runs?
When Pakistan put 252 runs on the board in 42 overs, 1 run was deducted from the kitty as part of the Duckworth-Lewis calculation. The deduction happened because Pakistan had lost 5 wickets before the second rain delay in the match. Hence, the final total came out to be 251 runs, with Sri Lanka now needing 252 runs to win the match.
It also has to be noted that had Pakistan not lost the wicket of Mohammad Nawaz right before the rain delay in the 28th over, Sri Lanka’s target would’ve been 255 runs instead of 252. When it comes to DLS calculations, keeping wickets in hand is crucial for teams.
Whenever it comes to rain-affected matches, getting off to a good start becomes quite important for teams. Losing early wickets often hurts the teams’ chances of getting a better revised total even if they improve in the later stages of the match.
Such was the scenario for Pakistan as Sri Lanka held on to their nerves in the death overs to take the team into the final. Needing 6 runs from the final 2 balls, batting all-rounder Charith Asalanka hit the winning runs for his team and set up the Asia Cup 2023 final clash against India.
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