Pakistan A Vs Sri Lanka A, Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 Highlights: Shaheens Narrowly Edge Out SL-A To Seal Finale Ticket

Good Evening and Welcome to our live coverage of the 2nd semi-final between Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A at the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025. Stay tuned for all the live updates.

Sri Lanka A Squad: Nishan Madushka (WK), Vishen Halambage, Lasith Croospulle, Nuwanidu Fernando, Sahan Arachchige, Ramesh Mendis, Dunith Wellalage (C), Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Pramod Madushan, Garuka Sanketh, Traveen Mathew, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Ahan Wickramasinghe, Isitha Wijesundera, Sohan de Livera

Pakistan Shaheens Squad: Mohammad Naeem, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori (WK), Yasir Khan, Mohammad Faiq, Irfan Khan (C), Arafat Minhas, Muhammad Shahzad, Shahid Aziz, Ahmed Daniyal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Khurram Shahzad, Mubasir Khan, Saad Masood, Ubaid Shah, Mohammad Salman Mirza

India A need 19 off the last 10 balls to beat Bangladesh A and seal their ticket to the finale of the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025. Catch the live action from the match here.

Pakistan reached the semi-finals after beating UAE, India and Oman in the Group stages.

The Shaheens first defeated Oman by 40 runs before beating arch-rivals IND-A by 8-wickets in an one-sided affair and concluded group B at the summit with another easy win over UAE by 9 wickets as they chased this tournament's lowest target of just 60 runs.  

Sri Lanka A had a rather tough start to the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 tournament, losing their opener to Afghanistan narrowly by 3 wickets. The Lions weren't able to defend 170 in the 2nd innings.

However, SL-A bounced back with consecutive victories over Hong Kong (by 7 wickets) and Bangladesh A (by 6 runs). They finished the group stages in the 2nd position.

The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 8pm IST, with the toss at 7:30pm. The Pakistan A vs Sri Lanka A, Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 semi-final will be live streamed on the Sony LIV app and website in India. It will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network TV channels in the country.

Jitesh Sharma's India A, who were favourites to win the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025, have been knocked out after losing to Bangladesh A in the Super Over.

IND-A didn't score a single run in the Super Over and BAN-A booked their ticket to the final after Suyash Sharma bowled a wide delivery.

The winner of Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A will meet the Bangla Tigers on Sunday, November 23.

If Yasir Khan features in the playing XI tonight for the Shaheens, then he will become the joint-most, in terms of appearances, in T20s for PAK-A.

News from the centre - Sri Lanka A captain Dunith Wellalage won the toss and asked the Shaheens to bat first in the 2nd semi-final.

Shaheens XI: Mohammad Naeem, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori (WK), Yasir Khan, Irfan Khan (C), Mohammad Faiq, Saad Masood, Ahmed Daniyal, Shahid Aziz, Sufiyan Muqeem and Ubaid Shah

SL-A XI: Nishan Madushka (WK), Vishen Halambage, Lasith Croospulle, Nuwanidu Fernando, Sahan Arachchige, Ramesh Mendis, Dunit Wellalage (C), Milan Rathnayaka, Pramod Madushan, Traveen Matthew and Garuka Sanketh

Mohammad Naeem and Maaz Sadaqat are at the crease to open the proceedings in the 2nd Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 semi-final. Pramod Madushan will bowl the first over for Sri Lanka A. Remember - the winner will take Bangladesh A in the finale.

Naeem and Sadaqat are off to a decent start, scoring 24 off the first three overs. The latter, who has been in a sensational form in this tournament, was dropped at 11 runs. How costly will that mistake prove to be?

Traveen Mathew has the last laugh as he dismisses Mohammad Naeem for a score of 16 off 15. Naeem took his eyes off the ball as he tried to slog-sweep a straight delivery across the line for a boundary. However, he ends up with a leading edge and Madushka took an easy catch behind the stumps.

Maaz Sadaqat falls at last and Sri Lanka get the danger man out for 23 off 11. The in-form batter slogged it towards leg-side off Milan Rathanayake, but he could not find the desired distance as the ball lands safely on the hands of Ramesh Mendis, who completed a very good looking catch.

Unexpected shot from Sadaqat, who was initially dropped at 11. Game On.

What are the Shaheens doing here? Traveen Mathew returns for his 2nd over and dismisses Mohammad Faiq for a score of 7 off 3. The powerplay started off well for PAK-A, but the Lions have fought back strongly. Second scalp for Mathew.

The Shaheens have been reduced to 5 wickets as skipper Niazi becomes the latest to depart for a score of 6. Before his departure, Yasir Ali walked off the crease for 6. Absolutely brutal start from Sri Lanka A.

Ghazi Ghori and Saad Masood are steadying Pakistan A's ship at the moment as they near towards the team's 100-run mark. Their partnership will be very crucial if the Shaheens want to recover in the later half of the 1st innings.

Saad Masood went out after scoring 22 off 25 by Lanka skipper Dunith Wellalage. The Shaheens have scored runs at a rate of less than 8 per over, but in these final 3 overs, PAK-A will look to do some damage.

What a brilliant display of bowling from Sri Lanka A, who have done exceptionally well to restrict Pakistan A for a score of 153. Pramod Madushan and Traveen Mathew were the best performers with their 4/29 and 3/22 respectively. Dunith Wellalage and Garuka Sanketh took a wicket each. Ghazi Ghori was the highest scorer for the Shaheens with his 39 off 22.

Sri Lanka A have their task cut out - score 154 and book a ticket to the finale against Bangladesh A on Sunday. Opening batter Lasith Croospulle, who is out with Halambage, smashed 15 off the first over from Ubaid Shah, who conceded a total of 17 runs in the first over.

Not the start the Shaheens were looking for in this crucial target defence.

The fiery start from Croospulle and Halambage has come to an end as their 1st wicket stand has been broken at 29 runs. Croospulle lost his wicket to Shahid Aziz, but he did his job extremely well, smashing 27 off 7, with 2 fours and 3 sixes, at an unbelievable strike rate of 300+.

Saad Masood traps Nishan Madushka in front for a four-ball six, and that brings Nuwanidu Fernando into the middle. Vishen Halambage, meanwhile, is going strong and the early surge means that the Lankans amass 67 runs off the powerplay, and have brought the asking rate down to almost six an over.

The Shaheens strike back! Sufiyan Muqeem gets rid of Nuwanidu Fernando and Vishen Halambage in the space of three balls to peg the Lankans back. Ahmed Daniyal then has Dunith Wellalage caught at sweeper cover in the ninth over to compound SL-A's worries. The wickets have shifted the momentum towards Pakistan, even though the asking rate is still very manageable.

It is going from bad to worse for the Sri Lanka A, who have been reduced to 7 wickets now, and victory is very much in sight for the Pakistan Shaheens. Ramesh Mendis and Arachchige were the latest to depart for scores of 0 and 5 respectively.

Sri Lanka A are down to wickets and they only have to deal with boundaries now if they want to go through to the final. Milan Rathnayake and Traveen Mathew are currently at the crease. The Shaheens are just two wickets away from entering the finale with a 100% win record.

What a stunning end to this match! Absolute thriller as Pakistan A hold on to their nerves to pull off a sensational victory in the final over of the 2nd semi-final by 6 runs. Sri Lanka A are heartbroken. They were very much in the game till the final over.

Shaheens will face Bangladesh A on Sunday, November 23 to determine the winner of the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 champions.