Women's Asia Cup semi-final: Fatima Sana strikes twice as Sri Lanka lose early wickets

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Live Score, Women's Asia Cup semi-final: Defending champions Sri Lanka Women face Pakistan Women in the second semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup, with Sri Lanka arriving unbeaten and Pakistan fighting to keep their title hopes alive. Sri Lanka have impressed with their balance and depth, with Nilakshika Silva producing a rescue half-century against Indonesia and Harshitha Samarawickrama showing composure during a tense chase against Bangladesh. Captain Chamari Athapaththu will lead a settled side that has already beaten Pakistan in a bilateral series last month, although Pakistan were without skipper Fatima Sana in that contest.

Pakistan’s road to the semi-finals has been far less convincing. They were dismissed for just 55 against India before narrowly escaping a scare against Thailand, where their total of 119 for 9 left the bowlers with most of the work to do. Their batting remains the biggest concern, with top-order pair Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar yet to fire in the tournament. With Pakistan seeking to reach the Asia Cup final for the first time since 2016, they will need a far sharper batting display against a confident Sri Lankan attack. Fatima Sana leads the Pakistan XI, while Sri Lanka have opted to field after winning the toss.

• Commentary
• Scorecard

20:18 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 23/1 (3.6 overs)

0

Overs3.6

Score23 - 1

Sugandika Kumari to Gull Feroza, No run, that is guided away nicely but cannot get it past the fielder.

20:18 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 23/1 (3.5 overs)

0

Overs3.5

Score23 - 1

Sugandika Kumari to Gull Feroza, No run, the cover drive is played but the result is a dot.

20:17 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 23/1 (3.4 overs)

1

Overs3.4

Score23 - 1

Sugandika Kumari to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Shorter and on middle. Zulfiqar hangs back and wrists it in front of square on the leg side for one more run.

🏏

Cricket Match Prediction

Who will win the match?

Tap to make your prediction

20:17 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 22/1 (3.3 overs)

1

Overs3.3

Score22 - 1

Sugandika Kumari to Gull Feroza, 1 run, that is flicked off the back foot for a run.

20:17 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 21/1 (3.2 overs)

1lb

Overs3.2

Score21 - 1

Sugandika Kumari to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Full and around the pads. Shawaal Zulfiqar attempts the sweep but fails to make any connection. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the pads, wide of short fine leg.

20:16 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 20/1 (3.1 overs)

1

Overs3.1

Score20 - 1

Sugandika Kumari to Gull Feroza, Very full, on middle. Gull digs it out down the deck. Sugandika Kumari dives to her right but cannot make the stop. They cross.

🏏

Cricket Match Prediction

What target will PAK-W set?

Tap to make your prediction

20:16 (IST) Sep 11

At last, Pakistan have found some breathing room, with a few boundaries breaking the stranglehold imposed by Sri Lanka early on. Shawaal Zulfiqar is beginning to show her intent, taking the attack on with greater freedom. This is an intriguing phase now, with Pakistan finally finding some momentum and Sri Lanka needing to quickly wrestle back control. Sugandika Kumari to continue...

20:15 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 19/1 (2.6 overs)

Score after

3

overs

19 - 1

Runs Scored: 0

004064

• Shawaal Zulfiqar 17 (10)
• Gull Feroza 0 (0)

Mithali Ayodhya2-0-16-0

4

Overs2.6

Score19 - 1

Mithali Ayodhya to Shawaal Zulfiqar, FOUR! Hit hard and wide enough! A productive over for Pakistan as 14 runs come off it. Full and a hint of away shape, on off. Zulfiqar swings through the line and connects cleanly. Smashes it uppishly and the mid-off fielder is in business for a moment. She stretches her hands out to her left, but the ball stays out of her reach and rockets to the fence.

20:14 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 15/1 (2.5 overs)

6

Overs2.5

Score15 - 1

Mithali Ayodhya to Shawaal Zulfiqar, SIX! Off the top edge, but it still goes all the way. Mithali got away with a full toss earlier in the over but not this time. Sliding onto the pads, Zulfiqar gets low to swipe it away behind square leg but the ball is skied off a top edge behind square leg and it drops beyond the fence.

🏏

Cricket Match Prediction

How many wickets will SL-W take in this innings?

Tap to make your prediction

20:14 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 9/1 (2.4 overs)

0

Overs2.4

Score9 - 1

Mithali Ayodhya to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Nails the yorker, on off. Zulfiqar digs it out.

20:13 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 9/1 (2.3 overs)

4

Overs2.3

Score9 - 1

Mithali Ayodhya to Shawaal Zulfiqar, FOUR! Nicely done. Fractionally short, on off. Zulfiqar hangs back and lets the ball come on. Plays the short-arm jab uppishly but away from the reach of the mid-wicket fielder to her left for the first boundary of the contest.

20:13 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 5/1 (2.2 overs)

0

Overs2.2

Score5 - 1

Mithali Ayodhya to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Missed out! Mithali Ayodhya slips in a low full toss, on the pads. A boundary opportunity for Zulfiqar with fine leg up inside the circle but she picks out the short fine leg fielder.

20:13 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 5/1 (2.1 overs)

0

Overs2.1

Score5 - 1

Mithali Ayodhya to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Full and on off, driven to mid off.

20:11 (IST) Sep 11

Two overs of suffocation for Pakistan, and the pressure has finally told. Sri Lanka's disciplined start with the ball has been rewarded with an early wicket. The squeeze was building, and Pakistan have cracked under it. Gull Feroza walks in next, at number 3.

20:10 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 5/1 (1.6 overs)

Score after

2

overs

5 - 1

Runs Scored: 0

101010(W)

• Muneeba Ali 2 (8)
• Shawaal Zulfiqar 3 (4)

Sugandika Kumari1-0-3-1

W

Overs1.6

Score5 - 1

Sugandika Kumari to Muneeba Ali, OUT! CAUGHT! Sri Lanka land the first blow. Muneeba Ali falls cheaply. Sugandika stays around the wicket for the left-hander and bowls it on a length, across off. Ali gets low and extends her hands to slam it over mid off but fails to get any sort of elevation. Mishits it flat towards Nilakshika Silva there, who takes the catch around her midriff.

20:10 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 5/0 (1.5 overs)

1

Overs1.5

Score5 - 0

Sugandika Kumari to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Floated up, on off. Shawaal gets down on one knee and drags the lofted hit down to long on. They cross.

20:10 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 4/0 (1.4 overs)

0

Overs1.4

Score4 - 0

Sugandika Kumari to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Shorter and darted in at the hips from around the wicket. Shawaal nudges it off the back foot to backward square leg.

20:09 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 4/0 (1.3 overs)

1

Overs1.3

Score4 - 0

Sugandika Kumari to Muneeba Ali, A bit of yes and no, but they get away with it. Pushed across the left-hander, the length is full. Ali reaches out and cracks the drive to extra cover. Harshitha Samarawickrama cannot make a clean stop and the ball dribbles behind. Shawaal Zulfiqar is keen for a single, but Ali hesitates before committing to the single eventually. Harshitha turns around and recovers to throw it towards the batting end but her throw ends up catching Zulfiqar on the back of her leg.

20:08 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 3/0 (1.2 overs)

0

Overs1.2

Score3 - 0

Sugandika Kumari to Muneeba Ali, Too straight, on a good length, on the pads. Ali tickles it towards short fine leg and sets off for the run before being sent back. A good call by Zulfiqar to send her partner, as the ball was in the vicinity of the short fine leg fielder.

20:07 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 3/0 (1.1 overs)

1

Overs1.1

Score3 - 0

Sugandika Kumari to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Flighted up, outside off. Shawaal Zulfiqar leans across and drives it firmly along the ground to extra cover. Kavisha Dilhari sinks to a knee to make the stop, but the ball bobbles a bit to catch her on the tip of her right thumb. It is parried away in front of mid off and the batters sneak in a quick single.

20:06 (IST) Sep 11

A tidy start from Mithali Ayodhya. Spin from the other end? Oh yes, Sugandika Kumari to bowl her left-arm spin.

20:06 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 2/0 (0.6 overs)

Score after

1

over

2 - 0

Runs Scored: 0

001100

• Muneeba Ali 1 (5)
• Shawaal Zulfiqar 1 (1)

Mithali Ayodhya1-0-2-0

0

Overs0.6

Score2 - 0

Mithali Ayodhya to Muneeba Ali, Curving back in, around off, on a length. Ali gets a good stride in and punches it straight to cover. End of a quiet first over.

20:05 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 2/0 (0.5 overs)

0

Overs0.5

Score2 - 0

Mithali Ayodhya to Muneeba Ali, Flirting with the tramline, fuller in length. Muneeba Ali offers no shot but does not get the wide call she was looking for. 

20:04 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 2/0 (0.4 overs)

1

Overs0.4

Score2 - 0

Mithali Ayodhya to Shawaal Zulfiqar, Strays on the pads, on a length, it moves away late, but Zulfiqar manages to flick it towards deep square leg. A single taken by Shawaal to open her account.

20:03 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 1/0 (0.3 overs)

1

Overs0.3

Score1 - 0

Mithali Ayodhya to Muneeba Ali, Muneeba and Pakistan are underway. Ayodhya goes full in search of swing but ends up dishing out a low full toss, on off. Ali hangs low and plays the square drive to deep point for a single to get off the mark.

20:03 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 0/0 (0.2 overs)

0

Overs0.2

Score0 - 0

Mithali Ayodhya to Muneeba Ali, Makes the batter play this time, does Mithali. Drags the length back and gets the ball to tail back in towards the off stump. Muneeba hangs back and stabs it down beside the strip on the off side.

20:03 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women vs Sri Lanka Women Live Score : 0/0 (0.1 overs)

0

Overs0.1

Score0 - 0

Mithali Ayodhya to Muneeba Ali, A hint of swing for Mithali. Steams in from over the wicket and lands it full, outside off, with her slingy action. It moves back a bit in the air as Ali makes the leave.

19:59 (IST) Sep 11

Ready for the first ball - Time to get the game underway. The Sri Lankan fielders spread out across the ground as Pakistan's openers, Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar, make their way to the middle. Fatima, the skipper, is near the boundary line and having an extended chat with Shawaal, perhaps reminding her of the plan. We are hearing pitch number 6 is in use, the same strip used last evening. It could be on the slower side, so getting the most out of the new ball could make all the difference. The bowler with the slingy action, Mithali Ayodhya, is ready to bowl the first over. Here we go... 

19:54 (IST) Sep 11

Anthems before action - The fireworks light up the occasion as both teams make their way onto the field. The formalities now take centre stage, with Pakistan's national anthem followed by that of the defending champions, Sri Lanka. The second semi-final is almost ready to come alive.

19:46 (IST) Sep 11

Sri Lanka, by contrast, look well-balanced. Nilakshika Silva’s rescue half-century against Indonesia and Harshitha Samarawickrama’s composure in a tight chase against Bangladesh give them plenty of depth.

19:45 (IST) Sep 11

For Pakistan, the pressure is now on top-order duo Shawal Zulfiqar and Muneeba Ali to fire. Both are yet to make a significant impact, and they will need to deliver today to keep Pakistan’s title hopes alive.

19:45 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women (Playing XI): Muneeba Ali(w), Shawaal Zulfiqar, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Sadaf Shamas, Fatima Sana(c), Eyman Fatima, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal

19:45 (IST) Sep 11

Sri Lanka Women (Playing XI): Imesha Dulani, Chamari Athapaththu(c), Sanjana Kavindi, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushani Nuthyangana(w), Sugandika Kumari, Chamudi Praboda, Mithali Ayodhya

19:44 (IST) Sep 11

Sri Lanka Women have won the toss and have opted to field

19:39 (IST) Sep 11

Pakistan Women (Playing XI) - Muneeba Ali (WK), Shawaal Zulfiqar, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Sadaf Shamas, Fatima Sana (C), Eyman Fatima, Umm-e-Hani, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sundhu, and Sadia Iqbal.

19:39 (IST) Sep 11

Sri Lanka Women (Playing XI) - Imesha Dulani, Chamari Athapaththu (C), Sanjana Kavindi, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (WK), Sugandika Kumari, Chamudi Praboda, and Mithali Ayodhya.

19:35 (IST) Sep 11

Chamari wins the toss - The two captains, Fatima Sana and Chamari Athapaththu, are out in the middle for the all-important toss. The coin goes up, and it lands in Chamari's favour. SRI LANKA WOMEN CHOOSE TO FIELD FIRST, putting Pakistan in to bat in this crucial semi-final.

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Live Score, Women's Asia Cup semi-final: The second semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup sees defending champions Sri Lanka Women take on Pakistan Women, with the former entering the contest unbeaten and in impressive form. Sri Lanka have looked well-balanced throughout the tournament, with Nilakshika Silva’s rescue half-century against Indonesia and Harshitha Samarawickrama’s composed effort in a tight chase against Bangladesh underlining their batting depth. Chamari Athapaththu leads a strong Sri Lankan XI that will be confident after beating Pakistan in a bilateral series last month.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have endured an inconsistent campaign. They were bowled out for just 55 against India and then survived a scare against Thailand after posting only 119 for 9. Their batting will once again be under scrutiny, with openers Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar yet to make a major impact. Pakistan, who have not reached the Asia Cup final since 2016, need a much-improved performance to keep their title hopes alive.