Dubai: Sri Lanka produced a remarkable fightback to defeat Pakistan by four wickets in the second semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday, September 11. The defending champions chased down Pakistan’s 130/5 with eight balls to spare to book a place in Sunday’s final against India.
The victory sets up a repeat of the previous edition’s final, with India and Sri Lanka once again meeting for the Women’s Asia Cup title. India had booked its place in the summit clash after defeating Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semi-final.
Fatima Sana leads Pakistan’s fightback
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field, putting Pakistan into bat first.
Pakistan did not make a particularly strong start and struggled to build momentum during the early part of their innings. However, captain Fatima Sana produced an important late surge to lift her side to 130/5 in 20 overs.
Fatima remained unbeaten on 47 off 36 balls, playing the key innings of Pakistan’s batting effort. Her contribution became even more valuable later in the match when she returned to bowl and picked up four wickets.
Pakistan’s total appeared competitive on a Dubai surface where batting had not always been straightforward during the tournament.
Fatima also received support from Gul Feroza, while Tuba Hassan finished unbeaten on 12. Pakistan ultimately managed to post 130, leaving Sri Lanka with a target of 131 for a place in the final.
Sri Lanka lose four wickets for 33 runs
Sri Lanka’s chase initially looked to be heading towards trouble.
The defending champions lost wickets regularly and slipped to 33/4, giving Pakistan a strong opportunity to pull off an upset.
Captain Chamari Athapaththu was among the early wickets, while Pakistan’s bowlers kept the pressure on Sri Lanka’s middle order.
Fatima Sana then added to Pakistan’s momentum with the ball. Her four-wicket haul threatened to put the chase beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.
At that stage, Sri Lanka needed a substantial partnership to stay alive in the semi-final.
Harshitha and Dilhari change the game
Sri Lanka’s comeback was led by Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari.
The pair settled the innings after the early collapse and put together a crucial 67-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Their stand shifted the momentum firmly back towards Sri Lanka.
Harshitha scored 36, while Dilhari made 33, giving Sri Lanka the stability it needed during the most important phase of the chase.
Instead of allowing Pakistan’s bowlers to dictate terms, the pair rotated the strike and found enough boundaries to keep the required run rate under control.
Their partnership proved to be the turning point of the match.
Sri Lanka hold their nerve at the finish
Even after the partnership was broken, Sri Lanka remained in control.
Nillakshika Silva and Kavisha Nuthyangana provided the finishing touches, with Silva scoring an unbeaten 18 and Nuthyangana remaining not out on 10.
Sri Lanka eventually reached 134/6 in 18.4 overs, winning by four wickets with eight balls remaining.
The result completed one of the tournament’s most impressive recoveries. Sri Lanka had been reduced to 33/4 but refused to allow Pakistan to capitalise on the situation.
Fatima Sana’s all-round effort falls short
Fatima Sana finished with figures of 4/38, adding four wickets to her unbeaten 47 with the bat.
Her individual performance was one of the highlights of the semi-final, but it was not enough to take Pakistan into the final.
Pakistan had entered the semi-final after finishing second in Group A. Their qualification had been helped by Nashra Sundhu’s record-breaking six-wicket haul against Hong Kong in the group stage. Pakistan won that match by 72 runs to secure their semi-final place.
However, Sri Lanka’s resilience ultimately ended Pakistan’s campaign.
India await Sri Lanka in the final
Sri Lanka’s victory means the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final will be contested between India and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 13.
India reached the final with a 40-run victory over Bangladesh in the first semi-final. India posted 149/6 before restricting Bangladesh to 109/7, with Shafali Verma scoring 64 off 40 balls and Deepti Sharma taking three wickets.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, enter the final as the defending champions.
The final therefore carries an added layer of significance. India will look to reclaim the title, while Sri Lanka will aim to retain the trophy after another impressive run through the tournament.
A repeat of the previous final
The India-Sri Lanka final also brings back memories of the previous edition’s summit clash.
Sri Lanka defeated India in the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup final to win the title. The two sides will now meet again with the trophy at stake.
India have looked strong throughout the 2026 tournament, while Sri Lanka have remained unbeaten and demonstrated their ability to recover from difficult situations.
For India, the challenge will be to contain Sri Lanka’s experienced batting unit and prevent another comeback like the one witnessed against Pakistan.
For Sri Lanka, the final offers an opportunity to underline their status as the defending champions.
The stage is now set for another India-Sri Lanka title clash in Dubai.