After 12 overs,Pakistan 78/1 ( Azhar Ali 18 , Babar Azam 4) Preview: Zaman starts attacking from this over, getting three boundaries in four deliveries, targeting the off-side on each occasion. He is playing wonderfully once again, and seems to have carried his big-hitting form over from the match against South Africa. 12 off the over. Both the unfancied teams are on two points each after identical records of one win and a loss from their previous group matches. Pakistan started their campaign on a disastrous note with a 124-run thrashing at the hands of arch-rivals India before punching above their weight to beat South Africa by 19 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis Method. [caption id=“attachment_3544251” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews and Pakistan’s Sarfraz Ahmed. AFP[/caption] Sri Lanka also started off with a loss —against South Africa— but stunned India by seven wickets at The Oval in London to throw the group open. However, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be wary of the rain that has disrupted most matches in this tournament. If Monday’s must win clash between the two sub-continent teams yields no result due to rain, then India and South Africa are likely to go through to the semi-finals. Pakistan were granted a favour by the rain gods against the Proteas who had been restricted to a pedestrian 219/8 in 50 overs. They managed 119/3 in 27 overs when the skies opened up and no further play was possible, prompting the officials to award the match to Pakistan. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, exceeded all expectations against India when they gunned down a formidable 322-run target, their joint-highest run chase in One-Day Internationals (ODI). Danushka Gunathilaka , Kusal Mendis and skipper Angelo Mathews shone with the bat to keep the hopes of the 1996 World Cup winners alive. Click here for live scores and updates from the first semi-final of Champions Trophy 2017 between England and Pakistan On Monday, the Sri Lankans will go into the tie knowing that their batting depth is not just on paper but in real too. The likes of Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera and other good batsmen and did not have to bat against India and will be raring to get some runs under their belt ahead of the knockout stage. Pakistan have depth in bowling even without Wahab Riaz who injured himself against India. Fast bowler Junaid Khan replaced him, seamlessly returning figures of 2/53 against South Africa. Besides, young pacer Hasan Ali has been in top form along with the ever dangerous Mohammad Amir. Imad Wasim is an all-rounder Pakistan would hope to deliver and the experience of Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali would also be key. Pakistan’s batting chinks is a cause of worry. All in all, Sri Lanka have the slight upper hand on Monday going by their form and confidence after that superb win against India. But on the given day Pakistan have the firepower to defeat their rivals. With inputs from IANS
Highlights ICC Champions Trophy 2017, Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, cricket score and result: Sarfraz, Amir lead Pak to semis berth
Catch all the Live score and updates of ICC Champions Trophy match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Cardiff on Monday.
 "Highlights ICC Champions Trophy 2017, Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, cricket score and result: Sarfraz, Amir lead Pak to semis berth")
What a true Pakistani victory. Is this Skipper Sarf’s moment? He has shown remarkable temperament, despite the dropped chances, to see Pakistan home. Lots of homework for the Pakistani batsmen to do before they take on England on the same ground. Pakistan dug themselves a hole and then battled hard not to fall in it. They are unpredictable, we know this. What’s in store for England, then?
Pakistan chased this down thanks to Sarf, Fakhar and Amir. Time for Babar, Azhar, Hafeez and Malik to come to the party now.
Highest eighth wicket stands in ICC Champions Trophy:
75* – Sarfraz Ahmed/Mohammad Amir v Sri Lanka, Cardiff, 2017*
70 – Mitchell Johnson/Brett Lee v West Indies, Johannesburg, 2009
100-plus runs added by 8th wicket in an ICC ODI tournament match:
New Zealand v Zimbabwe , Hyderabad, 1987
India v New Zealand, Bangalore, 1987
Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff, 2017*
After 44 overs,Pakistan 226/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 52 , Mohammad Amir 27)
Gunaratne is back. A slip has been deployed. Amir strides forward to block the first ball. Amir cuts the second ball to point. Amir nurdles the third ball to midwicket and Sarfraz decides to take on the fielder with a brave single. Sarfraz hands the strike back to Amir on the fourth ball. Amir blocks the fifth ball. FOUR! Amir lunges forward and crunches it through covers. This partnership is worth 64 runs now. 11 runs needed off 36 balls.
After 43 overs,Pakistan 220/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 51 , Mohammad Amir 22)
Last move from Mathews. Brings Dhananjaya de Silva into the attack. Amir defends the first two balls. The third ball is a tap through covers for a single. Sarfraz punches the fourth ball to midwicket. Risky! Sarfraz cuts the fifth ball very late and calls Amir across. Amir retains strike with a drive through covers. 17 off 42 balls.
After 42 overs,Pakistan 217/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 50 , Mohammad Amir 20)
31 off 54 needed! Amir clips to midwicket to bring his captain on strike! FOUR! The margin is now under 30 runs! An atrocious delivery from Lakmal, a leg side line and Sarfraz glances it to the fine leg fence. Mathews not impressed at all. Two consecutive singles follow. FOUR! Sarfraz creams it through covers. What an innings this has been from the Pakistan skipper. He has lead from the front. 11 off the over. Pakistan are 20 runs away from semis.
After 41 overs,Pakistan 206/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 41 , Mohammad Amir 18)
Catches win matches they say. We don’t think like that is what Sri Lanka is trying to tell us. DROPPED! Sarfraz pulls Maling in front of square on the leg side, Seekugge Prasanna runs in but fails to hold onto it. Malinga needs to bowl the batsmen out now. Can’t trust his fielders at this rate! FOUR byes! Sloppy wicketkeeping. Amir leaves a length delivery and Dickwella fails to collect it cleanly. Oh boy, another misfield on the fifth ball and Pakistan take a single. 8 off the over.
After 40 overs,Pakistan 198/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 40 , Mohammad Amir 15)
The first delivery is a single to third man by Amir. Sarfraz is happy to block two deliveries. And he works the fourth ball around for a run. Amir on strik! A wicket needed. But the southpaw sees both of them out.
After 39 overs,Pakistan 196/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 39 , Mohammad Amir 14)
Lasith Malinga is back! He starts with a short ball around leg, Sarfraz ducks thinking it is a wide but the umpire thinks otherwise. Malinga attempts a dipping, slow yorker but it goes down the leg side. WIDE! DROPPED! Has Thisara dropped the match here? I think so. Sarfraz chips it towards Thisara at mid on, he rushes in and fluffs the ball. Got a bit too excited I feel. Lasith Malinga is fuming. Ahmed tickles the third ball to fine leg for a single. Amir just taps the fourth ball for a run. The Malinga smile is back. Ball six: another slow yorker and Sarfraz drives it uppishly to mid on but it falls well short of the fielder.
After 38 overs,Pakistan 193/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 38 , Mohammad Amir 13)
FOUR! Short and wide from Lakmal and Sarfraz cuts it through point. The third man hares across from third man, got to the ball but failed to stop the ball as he parries it to the fence. He blocks the second ball to covers. The next ball is on a length and swinging in Sarfraz buries it onto the ground. Another defensive shot from the Pakistan skipper. This is intelligent cricket. Sarfraz takes a single off the fifth ball. He wans to keep the strike as much as possible. Can Amir survive this ball? Yes he can, he nudges it to square leg and wants a single. Sarfraz says no mate stay there. 44 off 72
After 37 overs,Pakistan 188/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 33 , Mohammad Amir 13)
Pakistan need 53 off 84. Pradeep comes back to bowl his last over. He bounces Amir and it goes well over the southpaw’s over. Wonder why wasn’t that called a wide! The second ball is short and wide, Amir cuts it through point and runs three. Excellent running which brings Sarfraz Ahmed on strike. Ahmed crouches, watches the ball and dead-bats it right under his eyeline. Sarfraz drives the fourth delivery down the ground and mid on dives to his left to stop. Game of margins this! A slip for Amir and he blocks the fifth ball. Amir offers back foot defense on the last ball too. Nuwan Pradeep has finished his quota.
After 36 overs,Pakistan 184/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 32 , Mohammad Amir 10)
Sarfraz drives the second ball through covers and asks Amir to come back for the second wicket. Perera bowls a short ball and the captain pulls it to fine leg. Single taken. Amir on strike. Amir punches it towards point and the fielder makes a sharp save. Pakistan take a single but the slip fielder hurls a throw to the non-striker’s end and misses. The result? Four overthrows and a single! Perera not at all pleased with that effort. He bowls a bouncer and the umpire spreads his arms. Wide signalled! The Pakistan captain watchfully defends the fifth and sixth deliveries.
After 35 overs,Pakistan 175/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 29 , Mohammad Amir 5)
Pakistan need 64 runs off 96 balls. While Sri Lanka need 3 wickets. Phew Pakistan and their nature of making games interesting. It is hard to be a Pakistan fan! Four dots and two singles come in this over.
After 34 overs,Pakistan 173/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 28 , Mohammad Amir 4)
Pradeep reintroduced into the attack. His first ball is a good length delivery which angles away and Sarfraz misses his glance and gets rapped on the pads. Sri Lankan players start appealing but the umpire turns it down. Mathews doesn’t take the review and rightly so because it was going over the leg stump. Sarfraz takes a single of the third ball to the leg side. Amir drives the fourth ball through covers for a brace. The last ball too is a single. Decent over for Pakistan, 5 off it.
After 33 overs,Pakistan 168/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 27 , Mohammad Amir 1)
Constant bowling changes! Now Gunaratne comes back into the attack. Pakistan into a survival mode now. The run rate is not a problem right now. The number of wickets is. 1 run off the over.
After 32 overs,Pakistan 167/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 26 , Mohammad Amir 1)
Thisara Perera sustaining the pressure on Pakistan. A double and single off his 7th over.
After 31 overs,Pakistan 164/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 23 , Mohammad Amir 1)
Time for some off spin, says Angelo Mathews. In comes Danushka Gunathilaka for his first over of the match. Amir takes a single off the first ball. Ahmed defends two deliveries before bringing Sarfraz back on strike on the fourth. The last two balls are dots. 2 runs off the over.
After 30 overs,Pakistan 162/7 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 22 , Mohammad Amir 0)
4 runs and a wicket off the over.
After 29 overs,Pakistan 158/6 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 21 , Fahim Ashraf 12)
Gunaratne comes back and starts with three dots. The fourth ball Sarfraz nudges it to midiwicket and sets off for a crazy run. He was miles out of his crease but the fielder fails to hit the stumps at the non striker’s end. Even Mickey Arthurt cannot believe what is happening at the centre.
After 28 overs,Pakistan 157/6 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 20 , Fahim Ashraf 12)
FOUR! Another short ball and Faheem pulls it to fine leg once again. He is not shying away from playing the big shots. Ashraf pushes the second ball through covers for another single. Sarfraz cuts the third ball behind point to pick up a couple. He hands Faheem the strike back on the fourth ball. Ball six is a short ball and hits Faheem on the elbow as he looked to defend. The white object goes over the keeper for a boundary. 12 off the over. Pakistan need 80 runs off 132 balls.
After 27 overs,Pakistan 145/6 ( Sarfraz Ahmed (C) (W) 17 , Fahim Ashraf 7)
Pakistan need 100 off 144 balls with 4 wickets in hand. Malinga continues and begins with a short ball, Ahmed pulls it to square leg for a single. The next two balls are yorkers before he mixes it up with a bouncer to befuddle Faheem, who has a wild swing at it only to miss. SIX! Faheem knew it was coming, he anticipated the short ball and pulled it over the fine leg fence. He goes back over the wicket. Ball six: a back of a length delivery which Faheem dabs to third man for a single.
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