Absolute cinema! Hasaranga fires back at Abrar in animated Asia Cup send-off war – Watch | Cricket News
The Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday turned into a spectacle of cricketing flair, thanks to a war of celebrations between spinners Abrar Ahmed and Wanindu Hasaranga. The pair engaged in a playful yet fiery exchange of send-offs that kept fans on the edge of their seats.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The saga began in the 13th over of the opening innings when Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed dismissed Hasaranga with a perfectly disguised googly. The Sri Lankan star was beaten in his attempt at a slog sweep, and Abrar, seizing the moment, mimicked Hasaranga’s trademark celebration — crossing his arms and shaking them over his chest. He even looked to his teammates for validation, unsure if he had pulled it off correctly.Watch: Abrar Ahmed’s wicket celebrationHasaranga, however, wasn’t going to let that slide. In the second half of the match, the Sri Lanka spinner struck back with flair. First, he took a stunning one-handed diving catch to dismiss Fakhar Zaman and celebrated by imitating Abrar’s send-off from earlier, which he had used on Shubman Gill during the Champions Trophy in February. Moments later, when Saim Ayub fell to him, Hasaranga repeated the move, drawing a smile from Abrar in the dugout and sending the crowd into a frenzy.Watch: Wanindu Hasaranga’s reply to Abrar Ahmed’s send-offOn the field, Sri Lanka were restricted to a modest 133/8 in 20 overs after Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first. Shaheen Afridi led the charge with three wickets, supported by Haris Rauf and Hussain Talat with two each. Despite being dismissed cheaply, Hasaranga’s spirited batting and fielding kept Sri Lanka competitive. Pakistan’s response was clinical. Hussain Talat starred with both bat and ball, scoring an unbeaten 32 while claiming two wickets, guiding Pakistan to a five-wicket victory and keeping their Asia Cup hopes alive. The win came after their loss to India on Sunday and sets up a crucial Super Four showdown against Bangladesh on Thursday.
