On September 11, Sri Lanka Women booked their place in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final, chasing down Pakistan’s 130 for 5 to win the second semi-final at the Dubai International Stadium by four wickets with eight balls to spare.
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Photo: Chamari Athapaththu bowling for Sri Lanka, by Bahnfrend (CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
A Target Never Out of Reach
Sent in to bat first after Sri Lanka won the toss, Pakistan leaned heavily on captain Fatima Sana, whose 47 off 36 balls lifted the total to a competitive 130/5 in 20 overs alongside a brisk 24 off 16 from Shawaal Zulfiqar. It was a total Sri Lanka’s batting order would need to work for rather than cruise to.
Samarawickrama and Dilhari Steady the Chase
Harshitha Samarawickrama’s 36 off 31 balls and Kavisha Dilhari’s 33 off 33 formed the backbone of the reply, pacing Sri Lanka through the middle overs and absorbing the pressure Pakistan’s bowling kept applying at the other end.
Sana’s All-Round Effort Falls Just Short
Fatima Sana was Pakistan’s standout performer with both bat and ball, following her 47 with figures of 4 for 38 — form good enough to earn her the Player of the Match award despite finishing on the losing side. Sri Lanka’s bowling response was shared around, with captain Chamari Athapaththu (2/24) and Chamudi Praboda (2/25) chipping away at Pakistan’s innings, while a costly no-ball six late in the run chase swung momentum firmly Sri Lanka’s way as they closed out the game at 134/6 in 18.4 overs.
Final Four: Sri Lanka vs India
The win sends Sri Lanka Women through to face India Women, who beat Bangladesh in the first semi-final, in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final — a title clash between two of the tournament’s most consistent sides this edition.
Live commentary and scoring via Cricbuzz, with details cross-checked against other outlets covering the tournament.
