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Sri Lanka v Pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy 2017, Highlights: Sarfaraz guides wobbly Pakistan to SEMIS

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Pakistan won by 3 wickets top seal themselves a semis berth, where they play England

23:10 IST: Pakistan win by 3 wickets and book themselves a semis berth, thanks to Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Amir who put on 75 unbeaten runs and came in at a stage when they were looking down the barrel and an exit on the face.

22:49 IST: Pakistan require another 20 runs with 3 wickets and 46 balls remaining. Sarfaraz Ahmed is on 50 not out.

22:19 IST: Pakistan require another 53 runs with 3 wickets and 14.0 overs remaining.

21:33 IST: Pakistan have lost two more wickets and are reeling, looking for inspiration from somewhere. Pakistan require another 100 runs with 4 wickets and 24.1 overs remaining. Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and debutante Fahim Ashraf are batting.

Thanks for your #AskCaptain question @HamasulGhani! pic.twitter.com/HWUIU7A2AX

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017

Time for a selfie with Player of the Match, and captain of #CT17 semi-finalists Pakistan, @SarfarazA_54! #SLvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/dLTvAAakdB

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017

21:15 IST: Pakistan are 124 for four, they have had two more setbacks Azhar Ali and Mohammad Ali have both got out. Shoaib Malik is at the crease with wishes from Sania Mirza. Pakistan require another 113 runs with 6 wickets and 27.4 overs remaining.

20:42 IST: As we speak, Pakistan are well-placed at 95 for 2 in the 17th over. They are cruising to the semis one feels. Fakhar Zaman scored a quickfire 50 of 36 balls to set it up for them, Azhar Ali is still at the crease at 26 with experienced Mohammad Hafeez.

18:47 IST: Sri Lanka have hobbled over to 235 for 9 in 49 overs, which is a defendable score. They are allout for 236, Pakistan need 237 to win.

18:11 IST: Gunaratne and Lakmal are at the crease and the score is 187 for 7 after 42 overs. Junaid Khan has picked up 3 wickets and Mohammad Amir has picked 2 wickets.

17:45 IST: NLTC Perera c Babar Azam b Junaid Khan (1)

17:37 IST: Amir gets another one, Pakistan on a roll. OUT Dickwella the inform player returns to the pavilion. Two batsman in who are on 0, though times. Leg bye, Amir is bowling quick and straight. Two runs for Gunaratne. Gunaratne misses one outside the off stump. Amir is on fire, and as we speak it seems like Sarfaraz has taken another blinder. But no, we jumped the trigger on that it seems.

17:32 IST: Junaid is in the attack and it is two left arm speedsters in tandem, no run.  Dhananjaya de Silva OUT. Gunaratne comes in, he defends right from the middle of the bat. Gunaratne still not off the mark. Wicket-maiden. SL 162/5

17:25 IST: Amir is back, and he has come back to get a wicket and break the partnership. No run to Matthews. The run rate is good if you double it from here Lankans will get 320. Matthews is BOWLED.  Silva is off the mark straightaway. SL 162/4

17:18 IST: Junaid Khan brought back into the attack. Matthews blocks the first one. Single for Matthews, Dickwella is pressing for a ton. Dickwella plays and misses. Another play and a miss, identical delivery. Three in a row, there is a slight appeal, but nothing to be worried about. SL 161/3

17:13 IST: Matthews spanks it for FOUR, powerful strike. Matthews plays a dot ball next. Matthews picks up two runs with a pull. Matthews picks a single. On the legs, single of a leg bye. Single of the last ball. SL 160/3

17:10 IST: Dickwella knocks it down the ground for a single. Single again. Dickwella picks a single. Another single for Dickwella. Dickwella hits a FOUR of the last ball. SL 151/3

17:07 IST: Matthews picks a single. Single again, it seems they are looking at possible targets now. No runs to Dickwella. Dickwella picks up three runs. No runs for Matthews. No runs, five from the over. SL 143/3

__ fans have enjoyed the first 22 overs of #SLvPAK! #CT17 pic.twitter.com/xt1Aal2D42

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017

17:04 IST: Matthews defends, he is taking his time. He takes a single of the third ball. No runs for Dickwella. Looks to make room, no runs again. Dickwella picks a single. SL 137/3

17:01 IST: Matthews hits a SIX, he breaks the shackles. Its a direct hit, Matthews it is, is he out? He has made it, good running. Matthews survives a scare and says no to a similar call. No runs of the last ball. SL 136/3

16:58 IST: Two runs of the first ball and then a dot, Dickwella is on 61 and Matthews is on 17 but they are on track for a decent score. No runs for Matthews. Matthews picks a single of the last ball. SL 127/3

16:55 IST: Hafeez continues, no runs of the first ball and the second. No run again, three dot balls. Dickwella pulls it for two runs. Dickwella cuts finds the fielder, a little fumble allows a single. Matthews picks a single. SL 122/3

16:49 IST: No ball over the waist, its a freehit, he played well, watching the ball. Matthews on strike for this ball. Leg stump, nicely played finds the gap, FOUR. Couple of singles of the last two balls. Matthews picks another sinle on the leg side. Dickwella plays it to third man picks a couple. Single of the last ball, flicks it to square leg. SL 118/3

16:46 IST: Dickwella gets no runs of Hafeez, the going is slow from Pakistani bowlers. Big shot but only a single. Matthews defends again, no run. WIDE ball by Hafeez. Leg side, its byes one. Dickwella drives down the ground for a single. SL 106/3 

16:42 IST: Matthews plays a dot ball and again a dot ball, the pressure is not building because they are getting the occasional boundary. Dickwella ramps that to third man, picks two runs. Matthews lets that one go. Matthews is playing a sensible knock, he is in no rush, relaxed and calm. No run of the last ball. SL 102/3

16:37 IST: Hafeez has finally been brought on looking at his record against left handers. Dickwella misses the first one, deceived. Dickwella reaches 50. Well made. Matthews gets two for leg byes. Matthews plays a dot again. Streaky outside edge, single to Matthews. SL 100/3

16:33 IST: No run for Matthews. This time he gets a single. He needs to stay till the end. Just a single on the leg side by Dickwella. He is nearing a fifty. He is on 49. They need a daddy partnership. Matthews is a smart cricketer, he likes to wear down oppositions. SL 95/3

16:27 IST: Matthews picks a single and gives the strike to Dickwella and then Dickwella gets beaten. Wide down the leg side. Wide outside the off stump, the bowler strays in line. Dickwella makes room, hits it does not find the gap, no run. Fahim is in his debut and he has shown nerves of steel as of now. Dickwella picks a single on the off side. No run for the batsman. No run. SL 91/3

16:23 IST: Dickwella picks a single gives the strike to his captain. Matthews defends, no runs. Another play and a miss, great length bowling. Matthews feeling for the ball, not entirely there, no runs. Hassan is bowling nagging lengths. Again a dot ball. This should not worry Matthews as they have a good run rate. SL 86/3

16:16 IST: Chandimal drags it onto his bat, another wicket falls. OUT Angelo Matthews comes in, the captain, the best batsman of the team a lot of hopes pinned on him. Matthews needs to play a big one. Angelo defends has a look. Matthews looks to play a forceful drive, misses. Matthews lets that one go, no runs. Angelo is off the mark, picks a single. Dickwella pulls for a single. SL 85/3

Another top celebration from Hassan Ali! __ #SLvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/xOcWs4svPO

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017

16:08 IST: Dickwella defends, no run. Dickwella picks a single. Mendis leaves a ball on the forth stump. Full and pacy and inside edge, half appeal, no runs, Hassan is skiddy. Mendis has been cleaned up, OUT BOWLED! Chandimal comes in and a dot ball straight away, what a first ball, a wake up call. SL 83/2

WICKET! The debutant Fahim gets Chandimal for a second ball duck! Bowled him! Pakistan on top now? Sri Lanka 83/3 #SLvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/oiw2Wpkb0n

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017

16:04 IST: Fahim is bowling up and is looking for swing. Dickwella flicks it leg side to pick up a single. Mendis works it beautifully on the leg side picks up two runs. Mendis this time will have to be happy with a single. Dickwella opens up and cuts to pick up two runs to third man. Dickwella steals a quick single. SL 81/1 

16:00 IST: Mendis finds the gap on the off side, he picks up a FOUR. Mendis knocks it leg side picks a single. Tight bowling by Hassan but Husal will pick the single and get off strike. Single for Dickwella on the leg side. Hassan is just getting into the groove one feels. SL 74/1

Pak have won an important toss. Right decision to bowl first with their quality seamers. Plus deny SL the opportunity to chase.#CT17

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) June 12, 2017

15:54 IST: Fahim Ashraf on debut in the attack, picked for a couple of the first ball. Dickwella is 30 off 27 balls. Dickwella picks another two. Kusal on the other hand got 89 against India. Dickwella defends, the run rate is very healthy. Dickwella drops, looks to sneak a single, decides against it. Dickwella picks another couple, he must be tiring now. Dickwella drives, no run. SL 66/1

15:50 IST: First powerplay ends. Imad continues, Mendis picks a single. Dickwella laps it for two, this is intelligent batting. No runs, Dickwella comes down but only to defend. He uses the pace, picks a FOUR. Smart play! Couple to Dickwella. Imad comes over the wicket, he is off his line. Dickwella needles that for a single in the leg side. SL 60/1

15:44 IST: On the hips, turned beautifully on the on side by Mendis, FOUR. What elegance! There is a throw back from the bowler after the batsman hit the ball straight back to him, but alls well that ends well. It is short changed the angle coming round the wicket, Mendis pulls it for FOUR. Mendis picks a single rotates the strike. Slower ball by Junaid, no run. Short ball and it is called a wide, fair enough, it was really high. 50 up! There is an appeal, it came off the thigh guard, not out. SL 50/1

15:40 IST: Imad Wasim into the attack, he played a big role the other day. He is born in Swansea. His father was an engineer. Tight wicket to wicket, no run for Mendis. He gets an inside edge, no runs. He flicks and picks up a single. Dickwella pushes to the off side, no runs. No run again a push for a single. Mendis picks a single to end the over. SL 40/1

10 overs down and Sri Lanka have reached 50/1, Gunathilaka the sole batsman to fall to Junaid #CT17#SLvPAK LIVE: https://t.co/sVnq3kwETM pic.twitter.com/DVd7RgiAwB

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017

15:35 IST: Mendis plays a quality straight drive for a FOUR. A delightful stroke. Mendis looks to work it on the leg side, no run. There is a hint of breeze on the ground and that could help swing. Mendis looks to pull, does not time it. This time Mendis picks a single on the leg side after three dot balls. Deep square leg comes in. Dickwella pulls it, well hit but unfortunately to the fielder. SL 37/1 

15:29 IST: Dickwella steady in defense, no run. Amir provides some width but not encashed by Dickwella, two dot balls in a row. Dickwella flicks on the on side, picks up three runs. Mendis needs to spend time in the middle. Mendis defends the ball, this is okay considering they have lost an early wicket. The short one by Amir going over the shoulder, umpire does not call it a wide, no run. Dickwella picks up two runs on the leg side. SL 32/1

15:24 IST: Sri Lanka lose their first wicket, Gunathilaka out to Junaid Khan. OUT . Mendis right behind that, defends. Another one defended, Lankans need to stitch a partnership together. Another one defended, this is what a wicket does to proceedings, it automatically puts the brakes. Another dot ball, Lankans have to put their brains into it and see off the new ball without losing further wickets. It is a wicket-maiden.

15:23: Sri Lanka have got off to a steady start they are 26 for no loss after five overs.

15:16 IST: Sri Lanka is 25 after 4 overs.

Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. Faheem Ashraf comes in for Shadab Khan.

WICKET! Gunathilaka is the first to fall, lofting a drive from Junaid into the hands of Shoaib Malik! Sri Lanka 25/1 after 5.1 #SLvPAK #CT17 pic.twitter.com/5dbUIzSGkC

— ICC (@ICC) June 12, 2017