Inzamam-ul-Haq opens up on importance of strike rate in T20Is after Sri Lanka bags 6th Asia Cup Trophy

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq emphasised the importance of having a good strike rate in T20 cricket. He called the knocks by Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga in the Asia Cup final “great”, adding that had they come at a slower pace, Sri Lanka would have ended up with only 140 on the board.

Sri Lanka, at one stage, were tottering at 58 for five after 8.5 overs. And then was when the all-important knocks of 71* off 45 by Bhanuka Rajapaksa and 36 off 21 by Hasaranga came to Sri Lanka’s rescue. Consequently, Sri Lanka finished with a strong total of 170 for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs.

"Hasaranga scored 31 (36 runs) and Rajapaksa scored 71, those were two great knocks," said Inzamam on his YouTube channel. “The pace at which the runs and the situation from which the runs were made was a great sight."

Sri Lanka did their homework: Inzamam-ul-Haq

"Had the 70 runs come at a slower pace, the total would only have been around 140, which Pakistan would have chased down. So, that 70 runs would have been of no use," added the former Pakistan batter. He lauded Sri Lanka for their efforts, saying that although the team lacked experience, they had done their homework right. But, he reckoned that Pakistan did not play very well in the tournament.

"All of Sri Lanka's pacers are newcomers, none of them are experienced, but they have come having done their homework. Pakistan played well in the tournament, but not very well. Many of their flaws were on show. They could not capitalize on the pressure, which helped them reduce Sri Lanka for 58-5 at one stage of the game," expressed the former World Cup winner.

Meanwhile, Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan was criticised by experts and fans, including Wasim Akram, Gautam Gambhir and Sanjay Manjrekar, for playing a slow innings of 55 off 49, as Pakistan had too much to do in the death overs. As a result, Pakistan fell 23 runs short, courtesy of a match-winning spell by Hasaranga, who finished with three for 27 in four overs.