CARDIFF: Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed and tail-ender Mohammad Amir staged a late fightback on Monday to take Pakistan to an incredible three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at Cardiff.
The win has taken Pakistan to the semifinals of the Champions Trophy for the first time in eight years, and will now face England on Wednesday.
Sarfraz and Amir steadied the ship after the Pakistani middle order collapsed once again in chase of Sri Lanka’s 237-run target in the virtual quarterfinal between the two teams.
The openers added 74 runs for the first wicket, with Fakhar scoring 50 and Azhar adding 34.
But the middle order soon collapsed, with Pakistan losing seven wickets by the 30th over with just 162 on board.
However, a 75-run partnership between Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Amir took Pakistan to incredible win over Sri Lanka and ensured a semifinal berth
Earlier, young batsman Fakhar Zaman departed after scoring his debut ODI fifty, but not before seeing Pakistan off to a confident start.
Fakhar scored quick-fire 50 off 36 balls after getting caught by Asela Gunaratne from the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep.
However, the following batsmen failed to capitalise on the start provided by the young batsman as Babar Azam (10), Mohammad Hafeez (01), Azhar Ali (34), Shoaib Malik (11), Imad Wasim (4), Fahim Ashraf (15) fell one after the another.
Brilliant bowling from Pakistan pacers earlier restricted Sri Lanka to 236 runs.
Hasan Ali ended resistance by tail-enders as he bowled out Lakmal, after Junaid Khan and Mohammad Amir ripped through the opponent’s middle-order picking up four wickets in quick succession.
Junaid picked up wickets of Thisara Perera and de Silva for just a single each, hastening the collapse after captain Angelo Mathews was bowled by Mohammad Amir on 39.
Junaid Khan bowled a ripper to get rid of Dhananjaya de Silva. Mohammad Amir again bowled a brilliant ball while captain Sarfraz Ahmed took a sensational catch to get rid of well-settled Niroshan Dickwella.
Hasan Ali struck in a déjà vu repeat of Wayne Parnell’s wicket to dismiss Mendis, followed by debutant Fahim Ashraf who clean bowled Chandimal for a duck, as Pakistan put brakes on Sri Lankan batting early into the game.
Junaid Khan earlier struck in his second over to dismiss opener Gunathilaka cheaply, after Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first.
Leg-spinner Shadab Khan made way for all-rounder Fahim Ashraf, who received his ODI debut cap earlier today.
Pakistan bounced back to beat top-ranked South Africa by 19 runs on Wednesday at Edgbaston, after suffering a heavy defeat to India at the same venue days earlier.
Sri Lanka upset India at The Oval with a stunning seven-wicket win after losing their opening match to South Africa earlier in the tournament.
