Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka Preview, Asia Cup 2025: PAK, SL Desperate To Bounce Back From Super Fours Setback

Reeling from early setbacks in the Super 4s, both Sri Lanka and Pakistan desperately seek their first victory in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours stage as they face each other at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Tuesday, September 23. Both teams are under immense pressure to secure a win and remain in contention for the Asia Cup's final.

Pakistan's Mounting Pressure

Pakistan's team faces significant pressure, with off-field issues dominating headlines and overshadowing their middling performances. They suffered a humbling six-wicket defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India on Sunday, marking their second loss to the Men in Blue in the tournament.

Skipper Salman Agha and his side now confront a must-win situation. The absence of former skipper Babar Azam and senior batter Mohammad Rizwan has exposed a batting lineup short on technique and temperament.

Top-order batters Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, and Saim Ayub offered a glimmer of hope against India, stitching together 90/1 to provide a promising start. Ayub, in particular, began to revive his form after three consecutive ducks.

However, the innings faded in the latter half, highlighting Pakistan's inability to sustain pressure. Their bowling unit has also struggled; leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who performed well against lower-ranked teams like Oman and the UAE, could not find the right lengths against a dominant Indian batting lineup and was taken to the cleaners.

Sri Lanka's Middle-Order Concerns

Defending champions Sri Lanka cruised through the group stage unbeaten but were jolted by a four-wicket loss to Bangladesh in their Super 4 opener. This defeat not only disrupted their rhythm but also snapped an impressive eight-match winning streak in the T20 Asia Cup.

Sri Lanka also have areas to refine. A fragile middle order remains a concern, although Dasun Shanaka's counterattacking knock at number five against Bangladesh offered some respite. Pathum Nissanka, a standout performer with back-to-back fifties in the group stage, has encountered a rough patch. However, Kusal Mendis and Kamil Mishara seem in good form and could bring much-needed stability to the batting.

Pacer Nuwan Thushara impressed with his bowling, currently standing as the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with six scalps. Spin wizard Wanindu Hasaranga, along with Dushmantha Chameera, Charith Asalanka, and Skipper Shanaka, have all made effective contributions across matches.

Promising all-rounder Dunith Wellalage has rejoined the squad after a brief absence following his father's passing last week. His return could boost both morale and overall squad depth. India and Bangladesh lead the standings with two points each; Suryakumar Yadav's men head the table owing to a superior net run rate. Sri Lanka and Pakistan hold the third and fourth spots respectively, making this fixture crucial for their progression.

Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup Squads

Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim.

(With PTI Inputs)