2022 Asia Cup: "We are confident of doing well in the final" - Pakistan coach Saqlain Mushtaq

Despite a five-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the final match of the Super four stage, Pakistan's head coach Saqlain Mushtaq remains optimistic ahead of the Asia Cup final.

Mushtaq admitted that Sri Lanka played better on the day.

Sri Lanka chased down Pakistan's modest total of 122 with three overs to spare on Friday in Dubai.

Although Pakistan's bowlers made early inroads with the ball, earlier their batting unit delivered a below-par performance, with Babar Azam top-scoring with 30.

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Speaking at the post-match press conference, Mushtaq said Pakistan will take confidence from their batting performances against India and Afghanistan leading into the final.

He said, as quoted by ANI News:

"Our batting has done well against India and Afghanistan when we chased. You might think that it was a small total and Naseem Shah won it for us but all eleven players batted. We are confident of doing well in the final. Shocks do happen in cricket when wickets fall. Sri Lanka played better cricket and won. As a team, we should not be thinking about the outcome of the toss."

Sri Lanka's spinners strangled Pakistan in Friday's fixture as Maheesh Theekshana, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Wanindu Hasaranga shared six scalps between them. Hasaranga starred with figures of 4-0-21-3. Later, Pathum Nissanka's unbeaten 55 steered Sri Lanka over the line.

"Babar is in good form" - Saqlain Mushtaq

Babar Azam is yet to score a fifty in 2022 Asia Cup. (Credits: Getty)

Mushtaq addressed the skipper's lean run in the tournament, stating that he only needs a bit of luck going his way.

"Babar is in good form. It is just that luck is not going his way. The kind of boundaries he hit against India, a batter with deeper eyes will say that his form his fine. It is his luck which is not going your way."

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Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan have made it to the Asia Cup finals for the first time since 2014. Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by five wickets in the 2014 final.