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Interim team director Enoch Nkwe and interim director cricket Corrie van Zyl are vying for the roles on a permanent basis

Firdose Moonda25-Oct-2019Faf du Plessis has called on Cricket South Africa (CSA) to finalise the team director and director of cricket positions as quickly as possible in order to allow the national team to put long-term plans in place.South Africa currently have Enoch Nkwe serving as interim team director and Corrie van Zylas interim director of cricket. They picked the squad for the recent tour of India, which ended with a 0-3 Test-match whitewash.”It is is a massive red flag,” du Plessis said upon his return from from leading the team in that series. “An interim coach, interim director – it needs to be resolved as soon as possible. We need to make decisions that influence the team positively, but also from a point of view that you have trust in people coming to work for more than just a month. [At the moment], the coach can’t hire someone for a month because, in two months’ time, someone might decide something completely different. The most important thing right now is clarity and someone needs to make decisions.”Du Plessis’ request comes after CSA announced a massive restructure of the way the men’s team will function. Instead of the traditional head coach and assistant roles, South Africa will now have a team director, who reports to a director of cricket who will oversee all national cricket structures, and will have the freedom to choose his own support staff. A selection convenor will also be appointed.Enoch Nkwe is positive about the road ahead for South African cricket•Getty Images

Van Zyl, who has worked in CSA’s High Performance structures for several years, explained that the positions should be filled soon. “What is happening at the moment is that the director of cricket role has been advertised. Next Thursday, the applications close. The idea is to get that done as soon as possible With that, we also need to get the convener of selection done. The convener of selection was advertised a while ago. That decision will be made shortly by CSA. The two roles will be announced more or less the same time.”While there has been little information about potential candidates for the various jobs on offer, van Zyl confirmed that he intends to apply for the director of cricket role in the coming days. “I haven’t put in my CV for director of cricket, but yes, I am going to.”ESPNcricinfo understands that Linda Zondi, who was removed as convener of selectors after the 2019 World Cup, has applied to get his old job back.Meanwhile, Nkwe, who has been promoted to the team director role after just one season as a franchise head coach, also indicated he is interested in taking on the role permanently. Asked if he thinks he is the right man for the job, Nkwe said, “I believe I am, especially, now that I have had this experience [India tour] and seen what areas need to be addressed. The last two months has helped me as a coach to grow to new levels. I strongly believe I am in the right position to do that.”Corrie van Zyl defended the austerity measures•Getty Images

The results, especially the Test series which South Africa lost 0-3, do not seem to agree with Nkwe but CSA made it plain before the tour that they would not judge him on the outcomes of one tour. At the time, van Zyl said it would be “very unfair”. Instead, he suggested CSA would play the long game and appoint someone who could help the team succeed in both the ODI league which begins in 2020 and leads up to the 2023 World Cup, and the two T20 World Cups in 2020 and 2021.With “two ICC events in the subcontinent,” Nkwe understood how important it is for South Africa to find the right personnel, including management. Though he would like to be that person, he gave an assurance that if he isn’t, he will try to contribute in other ways. “I strongly believe I am the right person but that’s not my decision. If I end up not being the person, then I will go back into the [domestic] system, and help improve the system in a different way,” Nkwe said.For now, despite what du Plessis described as a period of uncertainty and which van Zyl acknowledged could have created confusion over the structures, van Zyl and Nkwe are operating as though they are the people that will take South African cricket forward.”The interim roles isn’t the best way we could have done it. But, given the situation after the World Cup, it’s the best we could have done,” van Zyl said. “We need to start planning for the England tour and we need to act as if we are in those positions. If it changes, it changes and we have got no control over that.”

Moeen Ali starred with bat and ball and another outstanding spell from Pat Brown had held back Sussex’s innings

David Hopps15-Sep-20181:57

Social story: Worcestershire take Finals Day glory

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThroughout the Blast season the refrain had gradually become louder: Sussex have the finest bowling attack in T20, certainly in England, perhaps in the world. But Worcestershire survived it, ultimately relished it, the youngest side in the tournament, the county that had never been to Finals Day, emerging victorious by five wickets with nine balls to spare.Worcestershire’s rush to victory came suddenly, perhaps unexpectedly. When Jofra Archer’s full toss accounted for the destructive left-handed hitter, Ross Whiteley, they needed 32 from 19 balls with five wickets left, on a pitch beginning to feel the exhaustion of an 11-hour day. It was not alone in that: this is an intoxicating day in more ways than one.But Ben Cox, one of the finest, most underrated wicketkeeper-batsmen in the country, saw Worcestershire through with an unbeaten 46 from 27 balls, challenging Sussex’s pace attack with innovative flicks and glances. He was helped on his way by a single, stray delivery by Archer – a no-ball beamer which flew for four byes as his attempted scoop turned into a duck for cover, a resulting free hit and a six over square leg to exact full retribution.For Moeen Ali, Worcestershire’s captain, a calming influence on a young side, satisfaction was immense. No recent summer has passed without suggestions he is leaving Worcestershire. He has stayed. And he has returned from a long England summer to guide them to glory.At the end, the team dashed on to celebrate, Moeen walked on, a captain seeking to do the right thing. “I’m not one for running on the field too much,” he said. “You have to win and lose with dignity and respect. You have to respect Sussex’s position. They had obviously lost a tough game. The guys were buzzing and they were allowed to run out but as a captain you have to lead the team in the right way.”

Moeen pays tribute to Rhodes

Moeen Ali paid tribute to Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire’s former coach, who left the county after 33 years after an internal dispute.
“It’s been a tough ten years. I want to give a special mention to Bumpy Rhodes who put this team together and unfortunately is not here to see it, but I’m sure he will be very proud that all these guys he brought through in the Academy are doing well and we are just reaping the rewards.
“To lead a great bunch of guys with no ego is very special. To get through the quarter-final broke a mental block for us. We are a young side and I’m sure we can get better.”

“He’s just a human being, same as the rest of us,” said Worcestershire’s head coach, Kevin Sharp, in the build-up the Vitality Blast Finals Day when asked how it was that Moeen integrated himself so successfully into the Worcestershire side when he returned from England.But Worcestershire must have yearned for something superhuman as Moeen organised their pursuit of Sussex’s 157 for 6. It was the sort of score that an army of data statisticians might have chosen to make the chase exactly 50-50, but Worcestershire had to contend with a T20 bowling attack which has had admiration thrust upon itNo England cricketer feels as embedded into his county side as Moeen. He will even play relegation matches for Worcestershire in the next fortnight. He reached 41 from 27, rocking back to haul the left-arm spin of Danny Briggs over midwicket, majestically driving legspinner Will Beer over extra, and finding a valuable ally in his opening partner, Joe Clarke, who made 33 from 27 in an opening stand of 61 in 6.5.Worcestershire were still reasonably comfortable at 80 for 2 at midway. Then a ball later Brett D’Oliveira was stumped, pushing forward at the left-arm spin of Briggs and the pressure again clamped down.When Moeen fell to a tumbling catch in the deep at long-off by Phil Salt off Beer, they still needed 68 from 47 with six wickets left, the job far from done. He was so caught up in the game that he almost wandered into Sussex’s dugout by mistake.Worcestershire can also celebrate one of the great nought-fors in Blast finals. Pat Brown’s unrewarded four-over spell cost only 15 runs, but his exceptional economy rate compressed Sussex’s innings every time he had the ball in his hand. Such is his trickery, honorary membership of the Magic Circle should await.Brown is slight figure for a fast bowler, barely 20, and looking as if you would want to know what time he would be back when he went out for his birthday celebration.But he is a master of deception already. His stock ball is his knuckle ball, but as a variation he bowls a decent offcutter and can also up his pace above 80mph. The Blast is drawing quality from England’s young cricketers and those who disparage it are not observing closely or kindly enough.He began the final with 31 wickets, four freshly gathered in Worcestershire’s semi-final defeat of Lancashire: only Danny Briggs, who took 31 for Hampshire in 2010, and Alfonso Thomas, 33 for Somerset in the same season, could rival that. Sussex saw him off, but when it came to formulating an attacking response they found him unfathomable.Luke Wright found himself nodding down the pitch in recognition of Brown’s quality. The highest score on T20 Finals Day – 92 in the semi-final victory against Somerset – and a judicious 33 from 25 in the final: for Wright it was a good day, the highest combined runs total ever achieved. But it was not just a judicious innings but slightly careworn.It took some strong blows down the ground – two fours and a six – off Ed Barnard to take Sussex to 78 for 2 by midway, but he was that second wicket, one ball before the end of the 10th over, when Moeen bowled him on the charge.At the end of the Powerplay, Sussex were only 43 for 1, Salt falling wastefully. Salt’s strokeplay can be as disdainful as any young player in the country, as two sixes quickly testified, but he was distraught at his carelessness when he jogged an easy single to backward point, had both feet beyond the crease, but had both in the air when D’Oliveira’s pinpoint throw broke the stumps.Moeen took wickets at vital times. Delray Rawlins, who had begun with consecutive sixes in D’Oliveira’s sole over of leg spin, smoothed over long-on and square leg in turn, holed out to Moeen off a leading edge at long-off, his balance all asunder; David Wiese chopped on to be bowled.Laurie Evans has held Sussex’s innings together all season, and his 52 from 44 balls followed a familiar pattern, but Sussex’s innings died away as it had in the semi-final. It was workable score but only such a fine attack, on a surface about to withstand its sixth innings of the day, could have had confidence that they could defend it. Cox ensured otherwise.

With one eye on how difficult it will be to bat in the fourth inning in Colombo, Zimbabwe coach Heath Streak is keen on securing a first-innings lead

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo15-Jul-2017Concurring with Rangana Herath that batting will be tough in the fourth innings, Zimbabwe coach Heath Streak said his side would aim to have Sri Lanka chasing 200 at a minimum. With the hosts still 63 runs behind, Zimbabwe have a rare chance to take a first-innings lead.”I’d like to get 400 runs in front, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Streak said. “Anything over 200 to 250 runs is going to be really tough on the fourth and fifth days. Between 250 and 280 would be a really competitive target. But first we’ve got to get out the two batsmen at the crease at the moment [Asela Gunaratne and Rangana Herath]. They can both bat.”Pulling ahead in an away Test has been difficult for Zimbabwe in recent times. Since 2000, over a spell of 28 matches, they have earned a first-innings lead only four times – once in the West Indies and thrice in Bangladesh. Streak was hopeful of adding Colombo to that list.”It’s going to be a really interesting day’s play tomorrow,” he said. “Hopefully, we can pick up those last few wickets quickly, and if we do get a lead, that will be a bonus. Then it’s going to be an exciting few days.”Zimbabwe’s strong position has partly been delivered by their captain Graeme Cremer, who took 3 for 100 from 30 overs. He has turned the ball more than any other spinner in the match and produced two outstanding deliveries to dismiss Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis.”There are times where we just let things drift a little bit, but all in all I am very happy.” Streak said. “Cremer was outstanding today. He bowled some really dangerous balls and could easily have a five-for already. It’s nice to be in the position we are in, but its only two hard days and there’s lots more in the Test match if we are going to give ourselves a chance to challenge Sri Lanka.”Zimbabwe have lost 12 Tests and have never won a match against Sri Lanka. The most recent of those defeats came in October and November last year, when Sri Lanka dominated both matches. The series victory in the ODIs, however, has instilled new belief among the tourists.”We are making history on the tour so we would change that as well,” Streak said. “It’s about backing positive options – something we really encouraged the guys to do on this tour. We know we have to do that again. With Rangana and the other spinners, it’s going to be hard work.”

The IPL governing council has discussed the possibility of staging a mini-IPL in September

Nagraj Gollapudi in Dharamsala23-Jun-2016The IPL governing council has discussed the possibility of staging a mini-IPL in September, but no firm decision came out of their meeting held in Dharamsala on Thursday. Further deliberation is likely at the BCCI working committee meeting on Friday, when a final decision is expected.The BCCI has been trying to fill a window in the early part of September when India are not scheduled to play any cricket.Speculation about a mini-IPL has been alive since the Champions League T20 was scrapped last year. Two senior BCCI officials confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the topic was discussed at the governing council meeting today, which was addressed by IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla. BCCI president Anurag Thakur and BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke were in attendance.It is understood that the truncated IPL would last approximately three weeks, but could feature all eight franchises.BCCI sources indicated that the USA and Dubai were in the running to host the event, but reiterated that the idea is still in its conceptual stage.

“I want my England place and I think I deserve my England place.” Kevin Pietersen wasted no time in stating his case after a spectacular, unbeaten triple-centur

Tim Wigmore at The Oval11-May-20153:52

‘What more can I do to impress the ECB?’ – Pietersen

“I want my England place and I think I deserve my England place.” Kevin Pietersen wasted no time in stating his case after a spectacular, unbeaten triple-century – the highest score of his career – increased the clamour for the ECB to reverse the decision made to sack him more than a year ago.Pietersen confirmed he would meet with Andrew Strauss – his former England team-mate and the ECB’s newly appointed director of cricket – and Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, on Monday evening for a meeting that could prove critical in determining his international future. “That is a private matter. There is a meeting this evening but I am not one for giving anything away,” Pietersen said.”I was thinking about it while batting and, given the pressure I was under this morning, that is one of my best innings I have ever played, purely because I knew that tomorrow there is a press conference and there were things happening this evening. I needed to answer any questions with runs on the deck. Goodness 326 is a pretty good argument.”Pietersen’s innings came the day before Strauss was due to be unveiled at Lord’s and shortly after Peter Moores’ removal as head coach. Giles Clarke, an implacable opponent, is also about to be replaced as ECB chairman.Andrew Strauss looms as the man to decide Kevin Pietersen’s chances of an England return•AFP

“They say timing is everything. Strauss has come in, there is a new chairman on Friday and there has to be a new coach now Moores has gone and it is an interesting time,” Pietersen said. “What more can I do? I was told to get a county, I was told to score runs and I have always said since my knee was sorted that if my knee is good I will play well. I am not being paid any money here and I am dedicated to getting my England place back.”As a batter you get judged on hundreds you get. I always wanted to get 50 first-class hundreds and to have ticked that off as well today was pretty special. The more you bat the better you see the ball and because of the fields they placed with every man on the boundary for two hours it was about managing my patience.” He also praised the batting of Chris Tremlett and Matt Dunn, who he shared century partnerships with. “It is not just the 300 runs I got,” he said. “There are two Surrey lads there who have been outstanding today. I just had a beer with them upstairs because you do not get anywhere without your team-mates and they were outstanding today.”But Pietersen confirmed that he would go to play in the last stages of the IPL should Sunrisers Hyderabad qualify – something made more likely by their victory over Kings XI Punjab on Monday. “If they get to the play-offs then I think I will go next week,” he said.Pietersen was particularly enthusiastic when asked about the possibility of Jason Gillespie being appointed as Moores’ successor as England coach. “All the Yorkshire guys I have spoken to have said he is a brilliant man manager, he is very relaxed, he is not in your face but he does the right things,” Pietersen said.”He is a strict disciplinarian, which you need to be to do your job. If you want to go out there and take wickets or score runs you have to be a strict disciplinarian. I have done that my whole career. I have never missed a bus or worn the wrong clothes. I have always trained hard because I want to be successful on the field. I don’t know who is going to get the job but I am willing to work with whoever gets the job.”

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected Deccan Chargers’ plea to put a stay on the Bombay High Court order which upheld the BCCI termination of the franchise from the IPL

Nagraj Gollapudi19-Oct-2012The Supreme Court on Friday rejected Deccan Chargers’ plea to put a stay on the Bombay High Court order which upheld the BCCI termination of the franchise from the IPL. The chief justice of India, Altamas Kabir, heard the case but refused to grant a stay to the franchise owners, who approached the apex court immediately after the Bombay High Court yesterday overruled the arbitrator’s order to put a stay on the expulsion.The development means the Chargers are now completely out of the IPL. There are only two ways the Chargers can now bounce back – if the Bombay High Court judge, who rejected the ad-interim order on Thursday, reverses his decision once he has heard in detail the arguments from both sides on October 29; or the court-appointed arbitrator, CK Thakkar, finds the grounds of the termination were not correct.On October 12, the Chargers approached Thakkar for rescue immediately after they had failed the deadline to provide the stipulated Rs 100 crore ($19 million) as directed by the Bombay High Court. The justice, SJ Kathawalla in his final judgement on October 1 had asked Chargers’ owners to provide the bank guarantee or risk the stay order he had imposed on the BCCI termination be revived. Thakkar issued a stay on the High Court order, but the BCCI responded by filing an ad-interim order (urgent relief) in the High Court, which was heard by Justice RD Dhanuka yesterday. He rejected Thakker’s order, saying the arbitrator had no “jurisdiction” to overrule the court order.The Chargers’ owners had also filed a special leave petition (SLP) under Section 9 in front of Dhanuka, against the order by the Bombay High Court to allow the BCCI appeal of lifting the termination. Dhanuka once again ruled in BCCI’s favour even without listening to the arguments of Raju Subramaniam, the board’s lawyer.As a last resort, the Chargers filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting the SLP be stayed. “That SLP was dismissed today. That means the order of the Bombay High Court has been confirmed and the termination will now stand,” a BCCI official said. “I think they have played their last card. I do not think they have any further cards.”According to him the Supreme Court found that there was nothing wrong in the order passed by the Bombay High Court and therefore there was no reason for the apex court to interfere and hence it dismissed the SLP.According to the official, the BCCI is confident that neither the October 29 hearing nor the arbitration proceedings were likely to further stall the board’s plans to go ahead with installing a new franchise to fill the void left vacant by the Chargers.”There are so many more grounds for termination, so I don’t even know if the arbitration would go on. Because they were supposed to file their statement of claims today in front of the arbitrator, which they did not,” the official said. According to him, the Chargers’ counsel is likely to ask for an extension to file the statement of claims which could easily last more than the three-month time frame, which was suggested by the judge SJ Kathawalla in his final order on October 1.”It would be difficult for the court to reverse its order because it was a reasoned order given at the ad-interim stage without even the BCCI counsel’s response. The BCCI lawyers are yet to argue their case completely and that could further worsen the situation for the Chargers. And with this affirmation by the Supreme Court, we do not think the judge would change his view,” the official said.In a release, the BCCI also said that “all [Chargers] players’ dues for the last season have been met”.The BCCI has already moved forward by floating a tender inviting interested bidders for the new franchise. The deadline to file the final bid document expires noon on October 25.

Jersey stumbled to a three-wicket victory over Nigeria at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur in a replay of the round three game that the sides had been forced to abandon on Tuesday due to adverse weather conditions

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2011
Scorecard
Jersey stumbled to a three-wicket victory over Nigeria at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur in a replay of the round three game that the sides had been forced to abandon on Tuesday due to adverse weather conditions.The toss for the game took place on schedule, with Jersey choosing to field, but as soon as captain Peter Gough had made his decision the weather took a turn for the worse and the rain clouds blew in, leading to a delayed start and the match being reduced to 40 overs.Nigeria’s batting has struggled throughout this tournament, and they had another off day as 20-year-old left-arm spinner James Faudemer picked up 4 for 25, including the wickets of key top order batsmen Varun Behani, Oluwaseun Odeku and player-coach Sean Philips. Behani was Nigeria’s top scorer with 25 as they were bowled out for 110 in 32 overs.Nigeria fought back early with the ball, as after a quick turnaround they claimed three wickets before lunch. Jersey captain Gough was promoted to opening the batting alongside Ed Farley, the latter departing for a duck after facing just three balls. Gough managed just six runs before he was dismissed by Joshua Ogunlola, the medium-pacer finding the edge of his bat.Saheed Akolade then dismissed Ben Stevens, clean bowling the 19-year-old and four overs later Akolade sent Ben Silva packing after the 33-year-old was caught by some nifty fielding from Ramit Gill. Jersey slipped to 88 for 7 but they were seen home by Dean Morrison’s unbeaten 59.”I normally open the batting but today Peter Gough opened instead as I came in at No. 6 today,” said Morrison. “We lost early wickets, including two before the break which wasn’t great and it was up to me and Corey Bisson to steady the ship and we put on a 52 run partnership before he departed. It was then about batting through to make sure we reached the target, even if it was with only an over or so to spare.”Like I said, I normally open, but back when I played in Australia I used to come in down the order so when I came in today at six I knew what I had to do which was that to help the tail bat through. We had to keep trying for the win and I kept saying to the guys that came in to join me it was all about keeping going and getting victory.”It’s definitely taken the heat off us to have another win, although we can’t be complacent we have to win tomorrow to keep ourselves in with a chance in this tournament.”

Wellington have signed the Australian fast bowler Brett Lee for New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 tournament this summer, but he will miss half their matches due to his commitments for New South Wales

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2010Wellington have signed the Australian fast bowler Brett Lee for New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 tournament this summer, but he will miss half their matches due to his commitments for New South Wales. Lee has joined the England allrounder Luke Wright as Wellington’s overseas players for the HRV Cup, which begins in early December.He is expected to be available for five of Wellington’s ten matches, jetting across the Tasman Sea regularly so New South Wales do not lose him for any games. After an injury-plagued year, Lee made his state comeback in Sydney on Sunday and is hoping to be part of Australia’s limited-overs side to take on Sri Lanka starting on October 31.”It’s tremendous to have secured the services of Brett and his record speaks for itself,” Gavin Larsen, the CEO of Cricket Wellington, said. There will be at least one familiar face for Lee in the change-rooms – his former New South Wales fast-bowling colleague and now Wellington coach Anthony Stuart.”Not only will Brett run in hard and provide a cutting edge to our attack, he will also offer us extra batting power in the middle to lower order and he is a top fielder,” Stuart said. Lee is expected to make his debut for Wellington in their home match against Auckland on December 14.There will be several big names from around the world in the HRV Cup this summer, after Northern Districts signed Herschelle Gibbs, Brad Hodge and David Warner. There were also reports that Canterbury were chasing the Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait, although he will now be out of action until at least early December with an elbow injury.

“Fast bowling has been my first love, and though I step off the field, it will always be a part of who I am”

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jan-2025Varun Aaron, the former India quick bowler, has announced his retirement from “representative cricket”. Aaron, 35, had retired from red-ball cricket at the end of the 2023-24 Indian domestic season, and has now finished up altogether after his team, Jharkhand, were knocked out of the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, in which he played four games and picked up three wickets at an average of 53.33.”For the past 20 years, I have lived, breathed, and thrived on the rush of bowling fast. Today, with immense gratitude, I officially announce my retirement from representative cricket,” Aaron wrote on Instagram. “As I bid farewell to a pursuit that has consumed me completely, I now look forward to savoring the smaller joys in life while staying deeply connected to the game that has given me everything. Fast Bowling has been my first love, and though I step off the field, it will always be a part of who I am.”Aaron burst on to the scene as a genuine tearaway during the 2010-11 Vijay Hazare Trophy, when he was 21, by clocking speeds upwards of 150kph. But bowling fast came with its pitfalls, and in a career blighted by injuries – stress fractures of the back, in the main – Aaron played nine Tests and nine ODIs, but the last of those was way back in November 2015, a Test against South Africa in Bengaluru, where he picked up one wicket in a match that lost four days to the weather.”Over the years, I’ve had to push both my physical and mental limits to recover from numerous career-threatening injuries, having to come back time and again, this was only possible thanks to the relentless dedication of the physios, trainers, and coaches at the National Cricket Academy,” Aaron wrote.He finishes up with 88 List A matches, in which he got 141 wickets at an average of 26.47 and economy rate of 5.44, and 95 T20s, where he has 93 wickets at an economy rate of 8.53.Aaron played nine seasons of the IPL between 2011 and 2022 – with Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans – and won the title with Titans in what was his final season in the competition. His own contribution in it was, however, modest, as he picked up two wickets in two games, and had an economy rate of 10.40.A product of the MRF Pace Academy, he has worked with the organisation since the middle of 2024, and has also worked as a cricket pundit, including with ESPNcricinfo.

Pakistan struggled to score on a slow surface and ended up with an under-par score in the semi-final

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2023Sri Lanka outplayed Pakistan on a slow and sticky surface in Hangzhou to advance to the final of the Asian Games. Chasing a small target of 76, Sri Lanka took the game till 17 overs to set up the gold-medal contest with India – who beat Bangladesh in a low-scoring, one-sided contest earlier in the day – on Monday.Opting to field first in the second semi-final, Sri Lanka’s bowlers were all over Pakistan’s batters from the beginning. They were restricted to 75 for 9 in 20 overs with right-arm medium pacer Udeshika Prabodhani starring with three wickets and young offspinner Kavisha Dilhari picking up two wickets. Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya and Inoka Ranaweera took a wicket apiece to blunt Pakistan. That only three batters crossed double digits showed how Nida Dar’s side struggled to score.On the other hand, Sri Lanka got off to a decent start with Chamari Athapaththu using sweep shots to negate the spinners’ turn. After scoring two boundaries, she mistimed a slog sweep to hole out on 14 off 19 balls. Opener Anushka Sanjeewani also fell inside the powerplay for a 13-ball 15 but Harshitha Samarawickrama at one-drop stitched a 35-run stand in 51 deliveries with Nilakshi de Silva for the third wicket to ensure Sri Lanka didn’t lose wickets in a flurry. Samarawickrama, despite consuming 41 balls, played a crucial knock of 23 while de Silva’s unbeaten 18 saw Sri Lanka chasing down the target with 21 balls to spare and six wickets in hand.Sadia Iqbal, Daina Baig and Umm-e-Hani were among the wickets for Pakistan, but it wasn’t enough to stop Sri Lanka from advancing to the final. They will face Bangladesh for a third-place play-off on Monday.