Sri Lanka batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa admitted that things were not easy when his team were five down for just 58 in the Asia Cup 2022 final against Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Rajapaksa played a match-winning 71-run* knock which revived Sri Lanka’s innings from a tough situation. Rajapaksa fought a lone battle for his team after early wickets to take his team to a fighting total of 170/6 in 20 overs. The left-handed Rajapaksa put on a key 58-run stand for the sixth wicket with Wanindu Hasaranga who also scored valuable 36 runs.
Rajapaksa remained unbeaten on 71 runs off 45 balls in which he struck 6 fours and three sixes to pull his team back in the game. His knock set the tone for Sri Lanka as they beat Pakistan by 23 runs to clinch their sixth Asia Cup title.
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The southpaw said he and Hasaranga had a plan to take on Pakistan bowlers which worked well for them.
“It was not easy out there. They were bowling well. Wanindu and I had a nice plan. Nature of SL team is to be positive and not have pressure. That helped us score runs,” Rajapaksa said after he was named Player of the Match.
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The Sri Lanka batter further said in their initial plan, Hasaranga had to play the aggressor but they both got scoring balls which turned out to be a bonus.
“When Iftikhar was bowling, Wanindu wanted to attack, but fortunately both of us were getting the runs,” he added.
“I had to change my game today since Pakistan were top at the moment. Had to spend some time in the crease.”
Rajapaksa further revealed that during the drinks break he had a chat with head coach Chris Silverwood where he analysed the pitch and thought of it as a 140-run surface but they managed to get more in the final overs which set the momentum for them.
“When Chris came to talk to us at the drinks break, I told him that it looks like a 140 pitch. And eventually we stayed till the end and the eventual target was much different. This is a game of momentum, and we set the momentum in the last over of the first innings,” he added.
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