Sri Lanka hold off Fatima Sana and book another Asia Cup final against India

Sri Lanka reached the Women's T20 Asia Cup final for a second straight edition by beating Pakistan by four wickets in Dubai on Friday night. The chase was 131. The winning hit was a ramp from Nilakshika Silva off Fatima Sana, with eight balls to spare. India, unbeaten in the tournament after a 40-run semi-final win over Bangladesh, wait on Sunday. It will be a rematch of the 2024 final, which Sri Lanka won.

The match belonged, for long stretches, to Sana. Pakistan were 52 for 4 inside ten overs after Chamari Athapaththu and Chamudi Praboda took two wickets each. Sana, who had faced six dots to start her innings, then made 47 not out off 36. Pakistan scored 78 in the last ten overs and closed at 130 for 5. Gull Feroza made 21 off 32. Tuba Hassan added 12 off 10.

Sri Lanka's reply began worse. They were 5 for 2, then 33 for 4. Harshitha Samarawickrama (36 off 31) and Kavisha Dilhari (33 off 33) put on 67 off 59 and dragged the chase back. Sana returned and removed both in a second double-wicket burst. Her figures were 4 for 36 on one official card and 4 for 38 on another. Either way she was named player of the match from the losing side. Silva and Kaushini Nuthyangana finished the job.

The result is now a pattern. Sri Lanka have beaten Pakistan in three consecutive Asia Cup semi-finals, after the 2022 and 2024 meetings. Pakistan have still not found a way to close a defence when Sana is the only batter making a score and the only bowler taking clusters. Sana said afterwards that fielding lapses had cost a total she thought was defendable, and that the batting unit as a whole has to improve. Athapaththu said her side has the players to beat anyone if plans are executed in the final.

Sunday's final is the fixture the tournament wanted once India came through the other half. India have not lost a game in this edition. Sri Lanka arrive as defending champions with a chase that proved their middle order can recover from 33 for 4. The toss in Dubai has mattered. Pakistan batted first for a fourth straight match after Sri Lanka chose to bowl. India's approach against Bangladesh, 40 runs better on the night, sets a different problem.

For Pakistan the week ends with an individual performance that will be replayed and a team result that will not. A captain who made almost half the runs and took four wickets still walked off a losing semi-final. That is the gap the next Asia Cup cycle has to close if the India-Pakistan final that the crowd wanted is ever to be staged.