Live Report: Asia Cup 2022 final - Pakistan vs Sri Lanka

Five wins in a row, and they had to win the final hard, on a ground that is incredibly stacked against teams batting first. They lost early wickets to a magic burst of fast bowling from Pakistan's quicks and ended up at 58 for 5, just 8.5 overs into the game.

At that point you wondered if they'd get to 100. But Wanindu Hasaranga and Bhanuka Rajapaksa refused to go into their shells, and attacked their way out of the situation - Hasaranga making the momentum with his 36 off 21, before Rajapaksa produced Sri Lanka's innings of the tournament, hitting 71 not out off 46 in the end (he was dropped a couple of times in the last few balls, but had earned that luck).

Sri Lanka's bowling was led, completely unexpectedly by Pramod Madushan, who took two wickets in his first over (this is just the second T20I he's played.) The quicks and the spinners kept things tight in the first 10, and when Pakistan tried to explode in the second half of the innings, Sri Lanka fielded like mademen, catching everything that came their way, and saving runs all over the field.

Hasaranga's last over essentially sealed the match, and Sri Lanka won comfortably, by 23 runs.

Full report to come soon.

They keep falling. Sri Lanka keep catching everything. Sri Lanka are on the doorstep of a famous win, in a tournament they were not supposed to be huge contenders in.

Here's how Pakistan's innings has gone down. The slow batting in the early overs put too much pressure on the back end of the innings. And Sri Lanka fielded beautifully to close it out.

Three wickets in five balls, and Sri Lanka have one had on that trophy. He first has Rizwan caught at deep midwicket - Danushka Gunathilaka taking an excellent catch, having fielded beautifully right through the innings. Next he slips a fast googly into Asif Ali's stumps, as the batter plays a huuuge shot across the line.

Two balls later, Khushdil Shah goes for a big swipe across the line, and Maheesh Theekshana gets under that at short fine leg. Hasaranga had one expensive over, but finishes with 3 for 27 from his four, having very likely made Sri Lanka champions.

After that Hasaranga over, Sri Lanka have been outstanding on all fronts. The ground fielding has been special. The catching excellent. And now, Mohammad Nawaz has holed out, mis-hitting a hook to deep square leg off Chamika Karunaratne.

That required rate has climbed up towards 15.

Sri Lanka, a team without not a lot of stars, scrapping like mad for every run. Electric.

— Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) September 11, 2022

Madushan, who wasn't even supposed to be in the squad for this tournament, had Dushmantha Chameera or Binura Fernando been fit, is bowling his heart out in the final. Iftikhar Ahmed, who was getting into serious hitting form, tries to launch him over deep midwicket, but can only sky it to deep square leg, where sub fielder Ashen Bandara gets under a hiiiigh swirling catch.

Hasaranga has had massive success against Pakistan in the past (strike rate of 9.2 and economy of 6.23 in four matches before this final.)

But Iftikhar has gone after him in the 12th over. There was a slogged six against the turn second ball, a mighty strike down the ground third ball, an edged two next, and a couple of singles to finish. Fourteen off it.

Neither side truly ascendant here. Pakistan have survived a couple of close calls (Iftikhar had edged a Pramod Madushan delivery in the powerplay, but Sri Lanka opted not to review. He could have been run out in the eighth over too, but Maheesh Theekshana didn't collect a return throw cleanly.)

But with so much batting to come, Pakistan are decently off on 68 for 2. Remember, this is a ground that very strongly favours the chasing side.

Sri Lanka concede just 37 from their powerplay, dismissing two batters, which is an excellent result given the early extras from Madushanka. When the field went back, Pakistan need 134 from 84 balls.

Madushanka's first over.

Second over from Theekshana.

Madushanka again.

Pramod Madushan carves up the fourth over.

Madushanka bowls his third.

Pramod finishes off the powerplay.

Hold on to your nerves. Sri Lanka have come to play. Pramod Madushan, in his second international match ever, now has two wickets in two balls in a final. The first was off a terrible legside length ball that Babar Azam flicked to short fine leg, where Madushanka took an outstanding overhead reflex catch. (With that, all Madushanka's wide-bowling sins are forgiven.)

Next ball, Fakhar Zaman throws his bat at a length delivery just wide of the stumps, and drags it back on to the woodwork. Those are big dents in the Pakistan chase, delivered by the least-lauded of all the Sri Lanka bowlers.

What a pulsating first innings that was in the Asia Cup final #AsiaCup2022 #SLvPAK

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 11, 2022

The first ball was called a no-ball when it shouldn't have been (how a third umpire makes that mistake, I don't know.)

But then Madushanka bowls a series of wides, one of which swings way down the legside for four, meaning that before a legal delivery is even bowled, Sri Lanka have conceded 9. The rest of the over is decent, though. He concedes just three off the bat.

Here's how he scored his runs, by the way. Early on, he hit a lot of boundaries behind the wicket. That was before the sixes started to come.

He had late lives, but this has been sublime from Rajapaksa in a tense match. He, along with Hasaranga, attacked Sri Lanka out of an awful position. He scoops Naseem Shah for four second to last ball, then blasts him waaaay over extra cover for six to finish the innings, ending with 71 off 45. What an innings! He's given Sri Lanka a chance in this final.

It had been such an excellent over from Hasnain, who'd conceded just two singles and bowled three successive dots. Last ball, Rajapaksa tries to launch one over deep midwicket but gets way too much height. Asif Ali runs across and gets under it nicely, but just as the ball is settling, Shadab Khan crashes into him, also diving for the catch. It was in Asif's hands, but it pops out and goes over the rope for six! Phenomenal luck for Rajapaksa, a vital boundary for SL.

That Hasnain over:

Looks like Shadab has hurt himself in that collision and goes off the field. Hasan Ali on for him.

And they're landing some punches right now. Since Shanaka's wicket at 8.5 overs, they've now made 90 runs off 55 balls. Helped, that in the 17th over, Shadab Khan couldn't hold a skied chance off Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who has batted brilliantly for the 50, which he completed off 35 balls.

Hasaranga had been counterpunching beautifully, lacing boundaries through the offside, as he stroked his way to 36 off 21. But Rauf had his number. He tried to cream the quick through the offside again, having backed away. But only gave a top edge to the keeper.

This puts a dent in Sri Lanka's best period in the game so far. While Hasaranga and Rajapaksa were together, they had staged a pretty decent recovery.

Naseem to Mendis, Rauf to Gunathilaka, Shadab to Shanaka, in that order.

By the end of the 12th, Bhanuka Rajapaksa has 31 off 25. Each of his four boundaries have been behind the wicket so far.

Rajapaksa is such an impressive player. Can play dabs, can play the big-shots, pretty much can do any role given to him.

— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) September 9, 2022

That's just rubbish batting. Dasun Shanaka, the key batter in the lower middle order, has played a big slog sweep third ball, when he really didn't need to. And Shadab Khan slips a quick one under the shot, and castles him.

The first three overs from Pakistan's spinners have brilliantly backed up the quicks' work.

Pace is pace yaar#SLvPAK #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/J3jEQo5EGw

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 11, 2022

Sri Lanka are sinking fast here. This time it's the batter getting himself out, rather than outstanding bowling per se. DDS went back to Iftikhar and tried to knock him over his head. The ball might have skidded on a bit quicker than he expected, however, and he could only hit it back to the bowler, who took it above his head. DDS had looked good in his 28 off 21 too - he'd hit some beautiful offside boundaries off the quicks.

Sri Lanka need a BIG partnership to get back in this, and it's these two batters (Dasun Shanaka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa) who will have to provide it.

After Naseem had kicked the powerplay off with a spectacular first over, Rauf has closed it out with another stunner. Not only did he splay Gunathilaka's wickets, he could have had Bhanuka Rajapaksa with a leg-stump yorker as well. Pakistan reviewed the not-out lbw decision, but the batter was saved by an umpire's call.

Absolutely gripping fast bowling from Pakistan.

151kph, swinging in to leftie, stumps wrecked is my picture of heaven

— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) September 11, 2022

151kph! Haris Rauf sends another lightning bolt down, and Danushka Gunathilaka has his stumps knocked back. Pakistan absolutely bossing it so far. Sri Lanka have a big hole to climb out of.

151kph, swinging in to leftie, stumps wrecked is my picture of heaven

— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) September 11, 2022

Sri Lanka's openers have been SO vital to their batting order over the past two weeks, but now, they are both in the dressing room. This time it's Haris Rauf who strikes in his first over. Nissanka tries to lift a fullish ball over mid off, but is late on the shot, and only spoons it up. Babar Azam takes an excellent catch running back.

Haris Rauf once again picks an important wicket in the powerplay. Exceptional throughout the tournament, key wickets in key moments. Fantastic stuff

— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) September 11, 2022

Just Naseem Shah things

https://t.co/1LSc7FfvuQ #SLvPAK #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/5kjYeHlnFp

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 11, 2022

Pakistan quicks have a history of great first overs in finals, particularly against Sri Lanka. (It was Mohammad Amir who took TM Dilshan out in the 2009 T20 World Cup final.)

Naseem's provided his own rendition.

Incredible first dismissal for Pakistan. Pitching on a length, jagging back in at Kusal Mendis - who has probably been Sri Lanka's best batter of the tournament. It whizzes its way between bat an pad and cannons into the stumps. Perfect start for Pakistan's superb attack.

The anthems are sung. Naseem has got the ball in hand. Nissanka is facing. It's swinging already.

If you're wondering how badly Sri Lanka do when batting first, they've won only three of their last 21 T20Is batting first. This is a much improved side now though.

Pretty tough, in Dubai.

No real surprises in the XIs, though Sri Lanka have chosen to stick with seamer Pramod Madushan, playing just his second international. Here's Danyal Rasool's full toss report:

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Toss Pakistan won the toss and chose to field against Sri Lanka Pakistan have won the toss in the Asia Cup final and elected to field first. The advantage the toss confers was evident by the beaming smile on Babar’s face as he declared he would put Sri Lanka in first as Pakistan look for their third Asia Cup title. Babar said Pakistan would make two changes to the side that sees them go back to the side prior to Frida’s game, with Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah returning.

Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka admitted he wanted to field first go, as Sri Lanka go out in search of their sixth Asia Cup title. They go in unchanged from the side that eased to a win against Pakistan on Friday. “We've been playing some good cricket, and we want to continue that. The biggest positive has been that the batsmen have stood up, especially the openers,” he said.

Sri Lanka: 1 Kusal Mendis (wk), 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Dhananjaya de Silva, 4 Danushka Gunathilaka, 5 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 6 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 7 Chamika Karunaratne, 8 Wanindu Hasaranga, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Pramod Madushan, 11 Dilshan Madushanka

Pakistan: 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Iftikhar Ahmed, 5 Khushdil Shah, 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Asif Ali, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad Hasnain.

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Pakistan have won the toss and chosen to bowl, which means Sri Lanka will have to do something they haven't done in a long time to win the title - defend a total. Meanwhile, ESPNcricinfo's pre-match show is kicking off.