Pakistan needed 12 runs from last over to win the second T20I against Sri Lanka with Fahim Ashraf and Shadab Khan batting. What happened next will go down as one of the best last over finishes by tailenders. Pakistan needed 125 runs to win the second T20I, a lowly total on Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayeda Stadium pitch. For the first time, Sri Lankans were able to produce a nail-biter of a contest. Pakistan batting lineup did not look in total control as they kept losing wickets. It all came down to the last over of the innings, Thisara Perera handed the ball to Vikum Sanjaya while Ashraf, the hat-trick man was on strike.
First ball, Ashraf tries to play a handsome shot and pick up a boundary. He flicked the full-pitched the ball but ended up playing it towards long on. The ball landed in Danushka Gunathilaka’s palms and the wicket created immense pressure on Pakistan. Now they needed 12 runs from 5 balls. A rather perfect start for the Sri Lankans to the last over.
Hasan Ali came to bat, not exactly known for his big hitting. Though Shadab crossed over and was taking the strike. He could only manage to play the yorker towards long on for just a single. Pakistan needed a bit of luck here to come close to the target with 11 runs needed from 4 balls.
Here’s the video of the last-over finish –
Thrilling last over of the match #PakvsSL Shadab Khan nailed it pic.twitter.com/Nwlh8hqVJx
— Mohammad Usman (@usmansatti93) October 27, 2017
Ali was on strike for the third ball of the over. He went for a big shot but could not just time it. Gunathilaka dropped the catch in the long on position. Ali-Shadab were quick on the feet as they picked up three runs and narrowed down the requirement to 8 runs from 3 balls.
Shadab was taking the strike on the fourth ball of the over. A big shot was the need of the hour. Shadab knew that Sanjaya will bowl a yorker so he hung back into the crease. The big bat-lift came into play as he hit it straight over the bowler’s head for a huge six. He had done something exceptional which was later dubbed as a ‘million-dollar’ six by Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed.
With 2 runs needed from 2 balls, Shadab played the ball with soft hands and pushed for a couple of runs. With a couple of runs, Shadab finished the match single-handedly with one ball to spare and also sealing the series by 2-0. Pakistan will now play Sri Lanka in a dead rubber match in their hometown as Sri Lankan team returns after almost a decade.
