‘Pakistan deserved to win the Asia Cup’ - Shoaib Akhtar's take on Pakistan losing to Sri Lanka in Asia Cup Super Four match

Shoaib Akhtar (Source: Twitter)

The Pakistan cricket team's hopes of qualifying for the Asia Cup 2023 final has been shattered as Sri Lanka emerged triumphant in super four match on Thursday. It was a nail-biting encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very last ball.

Pakistan had set a challenging target for Sri Lanka, and it seemed like they would be able to defend it successfully. The bowlers put up a commendable performance, taking crucial wickets at regular intervals. The fielding was exceptional, with some brilliant catches and run outs that added to the pressure on Sri Lanka.

However, Sri Lanka showed great resilience and determination in their chase of 252 runs (DLS). They played with confidence and skill, never letting the required run rate get out of control. The batsmen displayed excellent shot selection and executed their strokes with precision, Kushal Mendis scored 91(87) to remain player of the match. 

As the match reached its climax, tension filled the air. With just one ball remaining, Sri Lanka needed two runs to win. The Pakistani bowler delivered a fuller delivery that missed its mark slightly, allowing the batsman to flick it towards behind square for 2 runs. 

'This is a very embarrassing loss'- Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar speaking on his YouTube channel about the match has shared his thoughts, he stated that "You've seen the match. Pakistan is out of the tournament. The match that was made in favour of Pakistan, was all done by Zaman Khan. He landed the day before yesterday and this boy did excellent bowling in the Pakistan Super League. Whatever chances Pakistan had of winning the match were all because of him. Shaheen Afridi also got a few wickets, but credit goes to Zaman. He bowled really well.

The former Pakistani pacer also felt that Pakistan deserved to qualify for the final. But, he also admitted that Sri Lanka were better on the day. "Pakistan deserved to go to the Asia Cup final but they are out of the tournament. They can be criticized a lot as they were touted as the 'favorites' but are out of the tournament now. Unfortunately, there can't be a Pakistan vs India match in the final, it has never happened. This was the chance, but Sri Lanka deserved to be the finalists. They were the far better team," he opined.

A heartbroken Shoaib Akhtar termed the loss 'embarrassing' and asked Babar's men to pull up their socks for the ODI World Cup that starts next month.

"Having said that, this is a very embarrassing loss. The fact that Pakistan is out of the tournament doesn't look nice. Pakistan has a lot to think about. The captaincy needs to sharpen up a bit. I am very disappointed. Can't say more," he concluded.