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The Asia Cup 2023 Super Fours encounter between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo witnessed a breathtaking moment as Sri Lankan seamer Pramod Madushan produced a peach of a delivery to dismiss Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman early in the contest.
Although the match got off to a delayed start and was cut short to 45 overs, the excitement was still palpable in the air as fans eagerly awaited a clash that promised to be a cracker.
The early woes for Pakistan
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan’s innings began on a shaky note as they lost their first wicket with just nine runs on the board. Fakhar, who had the responsibility to provide a solid start, fell victim to the brilliance of Madushan.
The moment of brilliance from Pramod Madushan
Madushan’s dismissal of Fakhar was nothing short of spectacular and came on the second ball of the fifth over when he produced an inswinging yorker that knocked over Fakhar and left him in disbelief. The left-handed batter didn’t anticipate the late movement of the ball and looked to push or drive it but found himself in an awkward position. The late swing generated by Madushan completely outfoxed Fakhar, and he had to walk back to the pavilion on a score of just four.
Also READ: Ravichandran Ashwin recalls when Virat Kohli hailed an Indian opener as more dangerous than MS Dhoni in death overs
Here’s the video:
Wicket #1:
Aim. Bowl. Strike. 🎯
Madushan invites the 🇵🇰 captain to the pitch 🏏#PAKvSL live now only on #DisneyPlusHotstar, free on the mobile app.#FreeMeinDekhteJaao #AsiaCup2023 #AsiaCupOnHotstar #Cricket pic.twitter.com/mdPhbNKn0e— Disney+ Hotstar (@DisneyPlusHS) September 14, 2023
Fakhar had high hopes riding on him in this crucial encounter, but unfortunately he couldn’t read Madushan’s brilliant delivery and his dismissal for a low score added to his recent struggles. However, his new partner Abdullah Shafique (52) scored a brilliant fifty to provide Pakistan stability.
As of now the rain has stopped the play with Pakistan 130/5 in 27.4 overs.
The significance of the match
It is worth mentioning that this Super Four match is a must-win for both Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as a victory would take them a step closer to securing a spot in the Asia Cup 2023 final. Nevertheless, it’s more important from Pakistan’s perspective as a tied or washed-out game would still take the Islanders to the summit clash.
