Sports Desk
Hong Kong: Sri Lanka clinched the Hong Kong World Super Sixes tournament title for the second time, defeating Pakistan by three wickets in a gripping final at Mong Kok Stadium on Sunday.
Winning the toss, Sri Lanka opted to bowl first, quickly gaining the upper hand as they removed Pakistan’s top order.
Pakistan, struggling to establish momentum, saw two batters dismissed in the opening over.
Batsman Mohammad Ikhlaq put up a spirited resistance with a solid 48 runs, but found little support from his teammates.
Faheem Ashraf contributed 13 runs, while Aamer Yamin, Asif Ali, and Hussain Talat managed only six, zero, and one runs respectively. Pakistan’s innings ended at 72 runs in the allotted six overs.
Dhananjaya Lakshan and Tharindu Rathnayake led Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, each taking two wickets and maintaining pressure on Pakistan’s line-up.
In their chase, Sri Lanka started cautiously. With steady performance from Sandun Weerakkody, who top-scored with 34, and a quick 19 from captain Lahiru Madushanka, Sri Lanka reached the target of 73 runs with an over to spare, finishing on 73 for three.
Faheem Ashraf took two wickets for Pakistan in a spirited effort, but it wasn’t enough to halt Sri Lanka’s smooth progress toward victory.
The title marks Sri Lanka’s second win in the Super Sixes format, reflecting their consistent strength in short-format cricket and leaving Pakistan disappointed after their determined path to the final.
