Chameera, Mishara take Sri Lanka to final

Dushmantha Chameera got three wickets in his first two overs

Dushmantha Chameera held his nerve in a clutch final over to ensure Sri Lanka did not throw away a win they had spent the rest of the evening working for. He conceded three runs in the final over, building on a magnificent opening spell to deny Pakistan victory by six runs in a 184-run chase.
The stakes were higher for Sri Lanka than they were for Pakistan, with a victory required for a place in the final, or it would be Zimbabwe playing that game on Saturday. And Sri Lanka played with a hunger they have rediscovered since they finally won a game on Pakistan soil on Tuesday. Kusal Mendis and Kamil Mishara's 36-ball 66-run stand got them off to a flier, with Mishara ending up with 76 off 48 balls, and cameos lower down the order got them to 184.
Right from the outset, Chameera hampered Pakistan with three top-order wickets in his first two overs. The chase looked as good as dead after the loss of the first four, with 43 runs on the board, but captain Salman Ali Agha's unbeaten half-century kept Pakistan fighting on until the bitter end.
A 56-run stand between Salman and Usman Khan brought Pakistan back into contention, and Mohammad Nawaz brought Pakistan right to the brink. The hosts were favourites when a six over cover reduced the equation to 10 in the final over, but Chameera got a wicket, nailed his Yorkers and squeezed Pakistan out.
Earlier in the evening, Pakistan strangled Sri Lanka in the first three overs. It started with a beautiful delivery Salman Mirza kissing Pathum Nissanka's off bail. But when Faheem Ashraf was thrown the ball for the fourth over, Kusal Mendis picked his moment. Three boundaries helped him plunder 16, and Mohammad Wasim disappeared for 15 more when he replaced Ashraf for the powerplay's final over.
Even the spreading of the field struggled to contain Mendis and Mishara. When Nawaz came to bowl in the eighth over, Mendis cut him for four before Kamil Mishara slapped him for six. 60 had come in the last five overs, setting Sri Lanka on a course that took them to a match-defending total. (Agencies)