<p>Their campaigns back on track after upset wins, Pakistan and Sri Lanka face each other in their concluding Champions Trophy group match in a virtual ‘quarterfinal’ here on Monday.<br /><br />Both the teams lost their opening matches but bounced back into reckoning after producing two of the tournament’s biggest upsets so far.<br /><br />Pakistan suffered a 124-run thrashing at the hands of arch-rivals and defending champions India but then notched up an upset win over world number one side South Africa to stay alive.<br /><br />Sri Lanka too suffered a heavy 96-run defeat at the hands of South Africa but came up with a stunning batting show to shock India by seven wickets to place themselves in contention for a semifinal berth.<br /><br />Pakistan bowlers, except for Mohammad Amir, were hammered by the top-order Indian batsmen but they made amends against South Africa whose batting line-up has several match-winners like A B de Villiers and Hashim Amla.<br /><br />Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim (2/20) and paceman Hasan Ali (3/24) bowled beautifully to restrict the Proteas to a meagre 219 for 8.<br /><br />Babar Azam (31 not out) and Shoaib Malik (16 not out) got Pakistan ahead of their required run-rate to secure a 19-run win under the Duckworth-Lewis method when rain stopped play with their side 119 for three off 27 overs.<br /><br />Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed had attributed the win against South Africa to good bowling against a strong side and he would look for another such display against the Lankans.<br /><br />The Pakistani side had the luxury of playing in front of a partisan crowd in Birmingham but it is unlikely to have the same support in Cardiff. <br /><br />“The crowd was supporting us and that’s why the players were boosted,” captain Sarfraz Khan had said after the win against the Proteas.<br /><br />Pedestrian<br /><br />Sri Lanka looked pedestrian in their opening game defeat at the hands of South Africa, failing collectively in the absence of their captain Angelo Mathews.<br /><br />The return of Mathews seemed to have inspired the Lankans as they pulled off a dramatic win over India, who apparently had no chinks in their armour until the loss.<br /><br />Most of the matches in this tournament have been affected by rain and if the clash on Monday is washed out, it will be a complex calculation to decide who make it to the semifinals.<br /></p>
<p>Their campaigns back on track after upset wins, Pakistan and Sri Lanka face each other in their concluding Champions Trophy group match in a virtual ‘quarterfinal’ here on Monday.<br /><br />Both the teams lost their opening matches but bounced back into reckoning after producing two of the tournament’s biggest upsets so far.<br /><br />Pakistan suffered a 124-run thrashing at the hands of arch-rivals and defending champions India but then notched up an upset win over world number one side South Africa to stay alive.<br /><br />Sri Lanka too suffered a heavy 96-run defeat at the hands of South Africa but came up with a stunning batting show to shock India by seven wickets to place themselves in contention for a semifinal berth.<br /><br />Pakistan bowlers, except for Mohammad Amir, were hammered by the top-order Indian batsmen but they made amends against South Africa whose batting line-up has several match-winners like A B de Villiers and Hashim Amla.<br /><br />Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim (2/20) and paceman Hasan Ali (3/24) bowled beautifully to restrict the Proteas to a meagre 219 for 8.<br /><br />Babar Azam (31 not out) and Shoaib Malik (16 not out) got Pakistan ahead of their required run-rate to secure a 19-run win under the Duckworth-Lewis method when rain stopped play with their side 119 for three off 27 overs.<br /><br />Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed had attributed the win against South Africa to good bowling against a strong side and he would look for another such display against the Lankans.<br /><br />The Pakistani side had the luxury of playing in front of a partisan crowd in Birmingham but it is unlikely to have the same support in Cardiff. <br /><br />“The crowd was supporting us and that’s why the players were boosted,” captain Sarfraz Khan had said after the win against the Proteas.<br /><br />Pedestrian<br /><br />Sri Lanka looked pedestrian in their opening game defeat at the hands of South Africa, failing collectively in the absence of their captain Angelo Mathews.<br /><br />The return of Mathews seemed to have inspired the Lankans as they pulled off a dramatic win over India, who apparently had no chinks in their armour until the loss.<br /><br />Most of the matches in this tournament have been affected by rain and if the clash on Monday is washed out, it will be a complex calculation to decide who make it to the semifinals.<br /></p>