The 10th and final match of the qualifying stage in the 2016 Asia Cup, will be staged at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on Friday. Sadly for the participating teams, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, there will nothing at stake, as both teams have already been eliminated from the tournament.
The narrow Bangladesh victory against Pakistan on Wednesday, was enough to propel the hosts into the final, where they will meet India, while at the same time confirming that both Pakistan and Sri Lanka were unable to match their total of six points, whatever the outcome of Friday’s fixture.
Sunday’s final will be the first time in the history of the Asia Cup that neither Pakistan who have claimed the title on two occasions, nor Sri Lanka with five titles to their name will be contesting the title deciding game.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have played each other in 14 previous T20I’s, with Pakistan having the upper hand, having won nine matches, to Sri Lanka’s five victories. The most recent meeting of the sides came in mid-2015, when they played out a two match series in Sri Lanka, both games being won by Pakistan, by 29 runs and 1-wicket respectively.
That particular series, which was played at the R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, saw three scores of over 170, runs have not been so easy to come by during the course of the Asia Cup in 2016.
After disappointing Asian Cup campaigns, where both sides have only managed to register a win against the minnows of the UAE, ahead of Friday’s game, both will be eager to claim a win that might give them a boost in confidence, and some winning momentum going into the World T20 Tournament, which begins for both countries in just a fortnight’s time.
Drawn in different Pools, they will both open their challenge for the world title with matches against sides that come through the qualifying tournament that precedes the competition proper.