Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in Asian Games women's cricket event semis

Sri Lanka advanced to the Gold Medal match of the Asian Games 2026 women's cricket event after beating Pakistan by eight wickets in the first semifinal of the event on Sunday at Nisshin. Chamari Athapaththu-led Sri Lanka hunted down the 178-run target with 13 balls to spare with the skipper herself contributing 83 not out, said a press release. Sri Lanka will face the winner of the India v Bangladesh semi-final for the Gold Medal match, while Pakistan will face the losing team of semifinal two in Bronze Medal match on September 22. Earlier, Pakistan were asked to bat first and with half-centuries from Ayesha Zafar and Shawaal Zulfiqar they posted the total of 177-4 in the allotted 20 overs. Pakistan lost Gull Feroza on the opening ball of the match and Saira Jabeen in the sixth over to go 35-2. Ayesha, who smashed the joint third-fastest fifty for Pakistan in WT20Is off 27 balls, stitched a record stand with Shawaal of 115, which is the second-highest in the format for Pakistan and highest for the third wicket. Right-handed batter Ayesha was run out for 71 off 40 balls after hitting nine fours and two sixes at the end of the 17th over when Pakistan had reached the 150-run mark. Shawaal's stay at the crease ended when she was on 54 off 50 balls having struck three fours and two sixes with the sub-fielder Rashmika Sewwandi taking a brilliant catch on boundary. Pakistan eked out 27 runs off the last three overs as skipper Fatima Sana clobbered two fours and one six in her 12-ball 20, while Eyman Fatima (5 not out, 3b, 1×4) struck a boundary to finish the innings on a high. In reply, Fatima broke Sri Lanka's 36-run opening stand in the fifth over as she castled Imesha Dulani for 27. Athapaththu, who hit seven fours and six sixes in her 50-ball knock, joined forces the with Hasini Perera (42, 26b, 3x4s, 3x6s) to form a match-winning 95-run partnership off 56 balls. Nashra Sundhu provided Pakistan the breakthrough in 14th over with Sri Lanka requiring another 47 runs off the last six overs but Athapaththu's quickfire stand of 47 off 23 balls with Harshitha Samrawickrama (17 not out, 12b, 2x4s) took their team over the line with 13 balls to spare. Scores in brief: semifinal 1- Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by eight wickets at Nisshin; Pakistan 177-4, 20 overs (Ayesha Zafar 71, Shawaal Zulfiqar 54, Fatima Sana 20 not out; Kawya Kavindi 1-13). Sri Lanka 178-2, 17.5 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 83 not out, Hasini Perera 42, Imesha Dulani 27; Fatima Sana 1-24).