How did Pakistan win when Sri Lanka only scored 252/7?
full explanation of the revised DLS regulation Japan Cup
In the 42 overs that they were given, Pakistan scored 252 for 7, and Sri Lanka followed suit with 252/8. So why did Sri Lanka win?
The Asia Cup Super 4 match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was unique in a number of aspects. It often seemed like it would be wiped out, but it wasn’t. When Sri Lanka seemed to be running away with the match after overs were taken away twice—first to make it a 45-over match, then to a 42-over one—Pakistan made a late comeback with the ball thanks to Iftikhar Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi. When two were needed off the last ball to win the game for the hosts and advance them to the Asia Cup final, Charith Asalank maintained his composure. This match was notable for more than just the drama, suspense, remarkable performances, and see-saw play. Looking at the final scorecard will make it clear why.
After winning by two wickets in the Asia Cup cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka shakes hands with Pakistani captain Babar Azam (AP).
In the 42 overs that they were given, Pakistan scored 252 for 7, and Sri Lanka followed suit with 252/8. Why did the latter win, then? Given that the scores were equal, shouldn’t it have technically been a tie? No, is the response.
Live results for India vs. Bangladesh, Asia Cup Super 4
Here’s how Sri Lanka prevailed despite both sides scoring 252 runs after 42 overs.
If the game had been a 50-over battle, or even in this instance, a 45-over one because the five overs taken away from each side before play started, the result would have been a draw. At that time, the DLS regulation was not in place. But with the second rain delay, things began to shift. When rain started to fall again, the players had to leave the field with Pakistan at 130 for 5 after 27.4 overs. Three additional overs were taken away when play resumed after roughly 45 minutes, bringing the total to 42 overs. But more significantly, the DLS approach was used.
Pakistan made a remarkable comeback to score 252/7 in 42 overs with to Mohammad Rizwan (86* off 73) and Iftikhar Ahmed (47 off 40). However, Sri Lanka received a revised objective as a result of the DLS. They were after 252, not 253. The total scored by Pakistan was docked 1 run.
Why did Sri Lanka get a revised target while Pakistan have 1 run subtracted from their total?
Shouldn’t runs have been added to Pakistan’s total considering that they still had three wickets in hand? No once again. No matter how many wickets a team has lost by the time their innings is up, it doesn’t matter. The ultimate goal for the opposition is determined by how many wickets they lose before to the weather delay. In other words, based on the DLS approach, Pakistan gained the upper hand since three additional overs were taken out of the innings when Pakistan was five wickets down before to the rain break. Based on it, their ultimate total was determined.
Had Pakistan lost less than five wickets, how would the total have changed?
Yes, of course! In the absence of Mohammad Nawaz’s dismissal on the last ball before the rain delay, Sri Lanka would have been given a target of 255 rather than 252, rather than 252. Similar to how more runs would have been added to Pakistan’s final score if they had lost fewer wickets than four, but more runs would have been subtracted from it if they had lost more wickets than five. The DLS technique operates in this way. In DLS calculations, the number of wickets in hand is crucial.
A suspenseful last act
When Asalanka struck the winning run on the penultimate ball at 1.07 am local time, Sri Lanka needed eight runs from the final over to win.
Millions of cricket fans who were hoping for an India-Pakistan final in the 50-over competition as a lead-up to the 2019 ODI World Cup were devastated by the outcome, despite the rowdy home crowd’s joy.
Despite Shaheen Shah Afridi taking two wickets in two balls in the last over and Zaman Khan handing up only two runs and a wicket in his first four deliveries in the 42nd over, the left-handed Asalanian kept his composure.
With Sadeera Samarawickrama, who scored 48 runs, and Mendis, who added 100 runs to the third wicket partnership, Asalanka grabbed control of the game after they left.
