Sarfraz, Amir lead Pakistan to Champions Trophy semi-finals

Men in Green beat Sri Lanka by three wickets to set date with England on Wednesday


Abdul Majid/Azeem Siddiqui June 12, 2017
Pakistan's Sarfraz Ahmed celebrates after hitting the final match-winning boundary in the ICC Champions Trophy match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Cardiff on June 12, 2017. Sarfraz Ahmed produced a superb captain's innings following a top-order collapse to see Pakistan into the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy with a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Cardiff on Monday. PHOTO: AFP

Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Amir led Pakistan to a sensational three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the virtual quarter-final of the ICC Champions Trophy in Cardiff on Monday.

Chasing 237 to book their place in the last-four, the Men in Green were in all sorts of troubles after losing seven wickets for a score of 162 in the 30th over.

Australia hope to weather English storm


However, pacer Amir, who had a wonderful day with the ball earlier, supported his captain in an unbeaten 75-run match-winning eighth-wicket partnership, as Pakistan chased down the target in the 45th over.

Sarfraz finished with a brilliant unbeaten knock of 61 off 79, which included five boundaries, whereas Amir finished with valuable a 28 not out.

For Sri Lanka, pacer Nuwan Pradeep was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with the figures of three for 60 in his 10 overs.

Imad reacts after dismissing de Villiers for golden duck


Earlier, after being put into bat first, the Islander were bowled out for 236 in the final over of their innings, courtesy sublime bowling performance from the Pakistani pacers.

Left-arm paceman Junaid Khan and right-armer Hasan Ali were the pick of the bowlers for the Men in Green, as the duo claimed three wickets a piece, whereas Amir and debutante Faheem Ashraf picked two wickets each.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella finished with the top score of 73 off 86 balls, which included four boundaries.

Pakistan will now face hosts England in the first semi-final on Wednesday at the same venue.



Do join us then. Till then, it's goodbye from Azeem Siddiqui and Abdul Majid. Ciao!



That's it from us today. We will see you on Wednesday again for the 1st semi-final between England and Pakistan at Cardiff.



PAK 237-7 (overs 45)

And that's it. Pakistan turned it around when it mattered, and qualified for the ICC Champions Trophy semi-finals.





Malinga to start his final over.



PAK 226-7 (overs 44)

Six off the over. Great over for Pakistan.



Gunaratne to start his new over.



PAK 220-7 (overs 43)

Just three off the over.

De Silva to start his first over.



PAK 217-7 (overs 42)

Eleven off the over. Great one for Pakistan.



Lakmal to start his new over.



PAK 206-7 (overs 41)

Eight runs off the over. Good one for Pakistan.





Malinga to start his second last over.



PAK 198-7 (overs 40)

Just two off the over.

Lakmal to start his new over.



PAK 196-7 (overs 39)

Just three off the over.

Malinga to start his new spell.



PAK 193-7 (overs 38)

Five off the over.

Lakmal to start his new over.



PAK 188-7 (overs 37)

Four off the over.

Pradeep to start his final over.



PAK 184-7 (overs 36)

Nine off the over. Good one for Pakistan.



Perera to start his new over.



PAK 175-7 (overs 35)

Just two off the over.

Gunaratne to start his new over.



PAK 173-7 (overs 34)

Just five off the over.

Pradeep to start his new over.



PAK 168-7 (overs 33)

Just one off the over.

Gunaratne to start his new over.



PAK 167-7 (overs 32)

Three off the over.

Perera to continue.



PAK 164-7 (overs 31)

Just two off the over.

Danushka Gunathilaka to start his first over.



PAK 162-7 (overs 30)

Just four runs and a wicket off the over.



Thisara Perera to start his new over.



PAK 158-6 (overs 29)

Just one run off the over.

Asela Gunaratne to start his new over.



PAK 157-6 (overs 28)

Twelve off the over. Great one for Pakistan.





Pradeep to start his new over.



PAK 145-6 (overs 27)

Eight off the over. Good one for Pakistan.



Malinga to start his new over.



PAK 137-6 (overs 26)

Five runs and a wicket off the over.





Nuwan Pradeep to start his new over.



PAK 132-5 (overs 25)

Four off the over and a big wicket of Malik. Brilliant over from the veteran.



Malinga to start his new over.



PAK 128-4 (overs 24)

Just four off the over.

Lakmal to start his new over.



PAK 124-4 (overs 23)

It's a maiden. Great bowling performance from the veteran.

Malinga to continue.



PAK 124-4 (overs 22)

Five off the over.

Lakmal to start his new over.



PAK 119-4 (overs 21)

Eight runs off the over. Good one for Pakistan.

Malinga to start his new over.



PAK 111-4 (overs 20)

Just one run and a wicket off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.



Lakmal to start his new over.



PAK 110-3 (overs 19)

Just four off the over.

Perera to continue.



PAK 106-3 (overs 18)

Seven off the over. Good one for Pakistan.



Pradeep to start his new over.



PAK 99-3 (overs 17)

Five runs and a wicket off the over.

FOUR! First ball and Malik strikes one through the covers.



Perera to start his new over.



PAK 94-2 (overs 16)

Just four and a wicket off the over.



Pradeep to start his new over.



PAK 90-1 (overs 15)

Just three off the over.

Perera to start his new over.



PAK 87-1 (overs 14)

Seven off the over.

Pradeep to continue.



PAK 80-1 (overs 13)

Just two off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.

Thisara Perera to start his new over.



PAK 78-1 (overs 12)

Four runs and a wicket off the over.



Pradeep to continue.



PAK 74-0 (overs 11)

Nine off the over. Another good one Pakistan.



Gunaratne to start his first over.



PAK 65-0 (overs 10)

Eight off the over. Good one for Pakistan.

FOUR! Fakhar hits another boundary.

Lakmal to continue.



PAK 57-0 (overs 9)

Great over for Pakistan. Thirteen came off it.

SIX! This time from Fakhar Zaman. Pakistan is on fire.

Pradeep to continue.



PAK 44-0 (overs 8)

Thirteen off the over. Great one for Pakistan.





Thisara Perera to start his first over.



PAK 31-0 (overs 7)

Four off the over.

Nuwan Pradeep to start his new over.



PAK 27-0 (overs 6)

Six off the over.



Lakmal to start his third over.



PAK 21-0 (overs 5)

Just two off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.

Malinga to start his third over.



PAK 19-0 (overs 4)

Five off the over.

FOUR! Another one for Zaman.

Lakmal to continue.



PAK 14-0 (overs 3)

Twelve off the over. Good one for Pakistan.





Lasith Malinga to start his second over.



PAK 2-0 (overs 2)

Just two off the over.

Suranga Lakmal to start his first over.



PAK 0-0 (over 1)

It's a maiden. Brilliant start from the veteran.



So it's Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman to open for Pakistan, and Lasith Malinga to start for Sri Lanka.

So that's it from the first session. We will join you when the Pakistan's chase will begin.



SL 236 (overs 50)
OUT! Sri Lanka all-out for 236. 
Faheem Ashram to start final over of the innings.



SL 235-9 (overs 49)

Just three runs and a wicket off the over.



Hasan Ali to bowl his final over.



SL 232-8 (overs 48)

Six off the over.

Mohammad Amir to start his final over.



SL 226-8 (overs 47)

Eight off the over.

Hasan Ali to start his new over.



SL 218-8 (overs 46)

Just three off the over.

Junaid Khan to bowl his final over.



SL 215-8 (overs 45)

Four runs and a wicket off the over.



Hasan Ali to start his new over.



SL 211-7 (overs 44)

Eleven off the over.



Mohammad Amir to start his ninth over.



SL 200-7 (overs 43)

Just three off the over.

Imad Wasim to start his new over.



SL 197-7 (overs 42)

FOUR! Another one from Lakmal. He is turning it on.

Hasan Ali to continue.



SL 187-7 (overs 41)

Just two off the over.

Imad Wasim to start his new over.



SL 185-7 (overs 40)

Just one off the over.

Hasan Ali to continue.



SL 184-7 (overs 39)

It's a maiden from the left-arm spinner. Brilliant bowling.

Imad Wasim to start his new over.



SL 184-7 (overs 38)

Five off the over.

Hasan Ali to start his new over.



SL 179-7 (overs 37)

Just five off the over.

Junaid Khan to start his ninth over.



SL 174-7 (overs 36)

Seven off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.

Mohammad Amir to start his new over.







SL 167-7 (overs 35)

Just two runs and wicket off the over.



Junaid Khan to start his new over.



SL 165-6 (overs 34)

Just three runs and a wicket off the over. Brilliant bowling for the left-armer.



Mohammad Amir to start his new over.



SL 162-5 (overs 33)

A wicket maiden from Junaid. Fantastic bowling from the left-armer.



Junaid Khan to start his first over.



SL 162-4 (overs 32)

Just one run and a wicket off the over.



Mohammad Amir to start his new over.



SL 161-3 (overs 31)

Just one off the over.

Junaid Khan to start his new over.



SL 160-3 (overs 30)

Nine off the over.

FOUR! Short ball and Mathews pulls it for a boundary.

Mohammad Amir to start his new spell.



SL 151-3 (overs 29)

Eight off the over.



Imad Wasim to continue.



SL 143-3 (overs 28)

Just five off the over.

Hafeez to start his new over.



SL 138-3 (overs 27)

Just two off the over.

Imad Wasim to start his new over.



SL 136-3 (overs 26)

Nine off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka



Mohammad Hafeez to start his new over.



SL 127-3 (overs 25)

Just five off the over.

Imad Wasim to start his new over.



SL 122-3 (overs 24)

Just four off the over.

Mohammad Hafeez to start his third over.



SL 118-3 (overs 23)

Twelve off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.

FOUR! Free hit and Mathews hits one through the on side for a much-needed boundary.

Faheem Ashraf to start his new over.



SL 106-3 (overs 22)

Just four off the over.

Mohammad Hafeez to start his new over.



SL 102-3 (overs 21)

Just two off the over. Good one for Pakistan.

Faheem Ashraf to start his new over.



SL 100-3 (overs 20)

Just four off the over. Good one from the off-spinner.

Mohammad Hafeez to start his first over.



SL 96-3 (overs 19)

Just three off the over.

Hasan Ali to start his new over.



SL 93-3 (overs 18)

Seven off the over.

Faheem Ashraf to start his new over.



SL 86-3 (overs 17)

Just one off the over. Great stuff from the pacer.

Hasan Ali to start his new over.



SL 85-3 (overs 16)

Just two runs and a wicket off the over. Another good one for Pakistan.



Faheem Ashraf to start his third over.



SL 83-2 (overs 15)

Just two runs and a wicket off the over. Brilliant bowling from the pacer.



Hasan Ali to start his second over.



SL 81-1 (overs 14)

Seven off the over. Once again, good one for Sri Lanka.

Faheem Ashraf to continue.



SL 74-1 (overs 13)

Eight runs off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.

Hasan Ali to start his first over.

SL 66-1 (overs 12)

Six runs off the over.

Faheem Ashraf to start his first over in international cricket.



SL 60-1 (overs 11)

Ten off the over.

FOUR! Another boundary for Sri Lanka. They are cruising at the moment.

Imad Wasim to start his new over.



SL 50-1 (overs 10)

Ten off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.



Junaid Khan to start his fifth over.



SL 40-1 (overs 9)

Only three off the over.

Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim brought into the attack.



SL 37-1 (overs 8)

Five off the over. Good one for Pakistan.

Junaid Khan to continue.



SL 32-1 (overs 7)

Six off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.

Mohammad Amir to continue.



SL 26-1 (overs 6)

A wicket maiden from the left-armer. Brilliant bowling.



Junaid Khan to continue.



SL 26-0 (overs 5)

Just two off the over.

Mohammad Amir to start his new over.



SL 25-0 (overs 4)

Thirteen off the over. Great one for Sri Lanka.



FOURx2: Sri Lanka is doing a fine counter attack. Two boundaries off the over so far.

Junaid Khan to start his second over.



SL 12-0 (overs 3)

Eight off the over. Good one for Sri Lanka.

Amir to continue.



SL 4-0 (overs 2)

It's a maiden

Junaid Khan to start his first over.



SL 4-0 (over 1)

Just four off the over.

So it's Danushka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella to open for Sri Lanka, whereas it's Mohammad Amir to start for Pakistan.











Earlier, Mike Atherton while giving the pitch report, said a fresh surface will be used for the game, which has a nice covering of grass.



Sarfraz Ahmed: Faheem Ashraf replaces Shadab Khan. We will try to to restrict them to a low total.



Toss: Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first.

COMMENTS (7)

illpopo | 6 years ago | Reply @Nasir: Dear, that isn't expert but a generalized opinion according to evident history and state of Pakistani cricket. Should we start believing that reality will change just for a sloppy day of the opponent?
Prada | 6 years ago | Reply I would love to see another Indo-Pak game. The walloping of Pakistan can be addictive.
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