“What a recovery!”- Twitter reacts as Pakistan pacers crumble Sri Lankan top-order before Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s 71* propel team to 170/6

“What a recovery!”- Twitter reacts as Pakistan pacers crumble Sri Lankan top-order before Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s 71* propel team to 170/6

Bhanuka Rajapaksa

As Pakistan and Sri Lanka are squaring off in the Asia Cup 2022 final on Sunday, September 11 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the latter had scored a competitive 170/6 in their alloted 20 overs with the 71*-run knock from Bhanuka Rajapaksa.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss and opted to field first. Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis’ innings had short lived as Pakistan pacers stunned them before the powerplay.

In the very first over, Pakistan’s young sensation  Naseem Shah bowled Kusal Mendis out on golden duck.  Haris Rauf  was responsible for sending back Nissanka on eight runs off 11 balls.

Dhananjaya de Silva then scored 28 runs off 21 balls with four fours before Iftikar Ahmed dismissed him with caught and bowl. This happened in the eight over, when Ahmed pitched the ball slightly short around middle which also was slower through the air. De Silva rocked back and looked to go downtown but he ended up chipping back to the bowler.

Danushka Gunathilaka could score only one run off four balls before Rauf dismissed him too. Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka’s knock also was a short one when  Shadab Khan‘s ball knocked the stumps. By then Sri Lanka had already lost five batters.

Wanindu Hasaranga then stitched a half-century run stand with Rajapaksa. He smashed 36 runs off 21 balls with five fours and a six before he became a victim of Rauf.

This happend in the fifth over when Rauf boweld a fuller and outside off. Hasaranga made room and looked to loft it but got a slight outside edge. The gall went towards Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper, who made a loud appeal and the umpire’s finger went up giving Pakistan an important breakthrough.

But Hasaranga’s wicket didn’t stop Rajapaksa as he kept smashing shots till the last over and remained unbeaten. While Chamika Karunaratne added 14 runs off 14 balls in the final overs, Rajapaksa scored an unbeaten 71 runs off 45 balls with six fours and three sixes to help Sri Lanka’s score reach 170/6 in their alloted 20 overs.

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Check how Twitter reacted to Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s innings

Bhanuka Rajapaksa
Bhanuka Rajapaksa
https://twitter.com/Thefunone07/status/1568991028061048834
https://twitter.com/JudeOff3/status/1568990412626604033

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