In the semi-final of the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, Pakistan Shaheens exhibited their supremacy by securing an impressive 60-run victory over Sri Lanka A. The game, held at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo on July 21, saw Arshad Iqbal emerge as the hero with a remarkable five-wicket haul. Backed by outstanding performances from Omair Bin Yousuf and Mohammad Haris, Pakistan Shaheens earned their place in the final.
After facing some early setbacks with the loss of opener Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan Shaheens found stability through a crucial 37-run partnership between Saim Ayub and Omair Bin Yousuf. Despite the consistent pressure from Sri Lanka A's bowlers, Omair stood tall as the top scorer, contributing an impressive 88 runs off 79 balls, which included 10 boundaries and a powerful six. Supported by Tayyab Tahir and skipper Mohammad Haris, Omair's efforts led the team to a competitive total of 322 runs at the end of their innings.
Chasing a target of 323 for victory, Sri Lanka A put up a fight with a significant 128-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Avishka Fernando and Sahan Arachchige. However, Arshad Iqbal's exceptional bowling turned the tide in favor of Pakistan Shaheens.
With extraordinary figures of 5 wickets for just 37 runs, Arshad dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order, achieving his first-ever List A five-wicket haul. Supported by Mubasir Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem, Arshad's brilliant performance restricted Sri Lanka A to 262 runs in 45.4 overs, leading Pakistan Shaheens to a dominant victory and securing their position in the final. They now await the winner of the second semi-final between Bangladesh A and India A to determine their opponents in the title clash scheduled for July 23.
After facing some early setbacks with the loss of opener Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan Shaheens found stability through a crucial 37-run partnership between Saim Ayub and Omair Bin Yousuf. Despite the consistent pressure from Sri Lanka A's bowlers, Omair stood tall as the top scorer, contributing an impressive 88 runs off 79 balls, which included 10 boundaries and a powerful six. Supported by Tayyab Tahir and skipper Mohammad Haris, Omair's efforts led the team to a competitive total of 322 runs at the end of their innings.
Chasing a target of 323 for victory, Sri Lanka A put up a fight with a significant 128-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Avishka Fernando and Sahan Arachchige. However, Arshad Iqbal's exceptional bowling turned the tide in favor of Pakistan Shaheens.
With extraordinary figures of 5 wickets for just 37 runs, Arshad dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order, achieving his first-ever List A five-wicket haul. Supported by Mubasir Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem, Arshad's brilliant performance restricted Sri Lanka A to 262 runs in 45.4 overs, leading Pakistan Shaheens to a dominant victory and securing their position in the final. They now await the winner of the second semi-final between Bangladesh A and India A to determine their opponents in the title clash scheduled for July 23.