Champions Trophy: Super skipper Sarfraz Ahmed stuns Sri Lanka

Pakistan captain takes team into semis with gritty 79-ball 61 to inflict three-wicket defeat on Sri Lanka

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed en route his 79-ball 61 against Sri lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy at Cardiff yesterday. Pic/AP/PTI

Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed (61) cracked a gritty fifty as Pakistan notched up a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their must-win Group B match to enter the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy yesterday.

Pakistan will meet Group A toppers England in the first semifinal on Wednesday at the same venue..

Chasing a modest 237 to win, opener Fakhar Zaman (50) slammed a 36-ball 50 at the top but Pakistan suffered an inexplicable collapse to slip to 162-7.

Finally, it was Sarfraz, who played a resolute captain's knock to take Pakistan home. The wicket-keeper batsman shared an unbeaten 75-run stand with Mohammad Amir (28) for the 8th wicket as Pakistan overhauled the target with 31 balls to spare.

Earlier, fast bowlers Hasan Ali (3-43) and Junaid Khan (3-40) claimed three wickets each, while Mohammed Amir (2-53) and Fahim Ashraf (2-37) took two wickets to help Pakistan bowl out Sri Lanka for 236 after electing to field.

Opener Niroshan Dickwella (73) and skipper Angelo Mathews (39) added 78 runs for the fourth wicket but Amir and Junaid took two wickets each in the space of 3.2 overs as Sri Lanka lost four wickets for six runs to slip to 167-7.

Brief scores

Sri Lanka 236 in 49.2 overs (N Dickwella 73, A Mathews 39; J Khan 3-40, H Ali 3-43) lost to Pakistan 237-7 in 44.5 overs (S Ahmed 61*, F Zaman 50; N Pradeep 3-60) by three wickets

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