Sri Lanka beat Pakistan to set up India cricket final

HANGZHOU: In-form Sri Lanka, fresh from a stunning Twenty20 series victory in England, beat Pakistan by six wickets on Sunday to reach the women’s cricket final at the Asian Games and set up a clash with India.

Pakistan never got going on a difficult batting surface affected by days of rain at the Zhejiang University of Technology ground in Hangzhou and could only muster a below-par 75-9 in their 20 overs.

Left-arm medium pace bowler Udeshika Prabodhani led the Sri Lankan attack with three wickets and Kavisha Dilhari took two with her offspin.

Sri Lanka sauntered to their target with 21 balls to spare to spark wild celebrations as their players ran on to the field to high-five and hug each other.

Earlier, the Indians routed Bangladesh for 51 on the same ground with all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, only drafted into the squad as a last-minute replacement, taking four wickets.

They wasted no time in racing to an eight-wicket victory with more than 11 overs remaining as Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with an unbeaten 20.

Rodrigues is yet to be dismissed in the Asian Games, scoring 47 not out in the quarter-final against Malaysia, which was later abandoned because of rain.

It was the second time in just over a week that Sri Lankan cricketers had proven party-poopers by preventing a Pakistan-India major cricket final.

The country’s men’s team beat Pakistan in the semi-final of the 50-over Asia Cup in Colombo to prevent a final showdown against their fierce rivals India.

Earlier this month, Sri Lanka’s women secured a historic first-ever white-ball series triumph over England, winning 2-1.

Pakistan and Bangladesh will face off for bronze on Monday before India take on Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match.