Sri Lanka Women have secured their place in the gold-medal match of the
The victory was clinical, with Sri Lanka reaching 178/2 in just 17.5 overs, leaving 13 balls remaining in the innings. This result guarantees the side at least a silver medal, while Pakistan is set to feature in the upcoming bronze-medal playoff.
Pakistan sets competitive total
After the match experienced a delayed start, Pakistan’s batting lineup managed to recover from an early loss to post a competitive score. Ayesha Zafar and Shawaal Zulfiqar were central to this effort, building a significant 115-run partnership that anchored the innings. Zafar played an aggressive role, striking 71 off 40 balls, while Zulfiqar provided steady support with 54 runs from 50 deliveries. By the end of their allotted 20 overs, Pakistan had reached a total of 177/4.
Athapaththu powers successful chase
The pursuit of 178 required a strong start, and Athapaththu delivered a masterclass in aggressive batting. The captain anchored the chase with an unbeaten 83 off 50 balls, an innings highlighted by seven boundaries and six sixes. Her ability to control the pace of the game ensured that Sri Lanka remained ahead of the required run rate throughout the chase.
Support came from Imesha Dulani, who contributed 26 runs off 21 balls to keep the momentum high. Pakistan’s bowling and fielding units struggled to contain the scoring as the partnership flourished. With the target in sight, Sri Lanka comfortably crossed the line in the 18th over, losing only two wickets in the process. Sri Lanka now awaits the winner of the second semi-final between India and Bangladesh to determine their opponent in the gold-medal match, while Pakistan will face the loser of that fixture in the bronze-medal contest.
