Pakistan cricket team spinner Abrar Ahmed taunted Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in a stunning send-off during their Asia Cup 2025 match on Tuesday. Hasaranga got a good start to his innings but was clean bowled by a googly from Abrar. The Sri Lanka cricketer went for a slog sweep but the delivery from Abrar held its line and crashed into the stumps. The Pakistan spinner decided to replicate Hasaranga’s own celebration after the dismissal in a moment that has gone viral on social media. While Abrar was not able to pull off the celebration, his send-off caused quite a bit of chatter.
Man I just love this celebration. Abrar should steal it. pic.twitter.com/O380ryOLun
— Hopeful (@high_hopeful) September 23, 2025
However, that was not the end of the episode as Hasaranga returned the favour while bowling. He took a brilliant one-handed catch to dismiss Fakhar Zaman and then took the wickets of Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha. On all three occasions, he mimicked the celebration of Abrar.
Coming to the match, Pakistan pacers put the Sri Lankan batters through the wringer despite Kamindu Mendis‘ fine fifty, restricting them for a vastly under-par 133 for eight.
Abrar copied Hasaranga and now Hasaranga mimics Abrar, not once, but twice
Pakistan v Sri Lanka rivalry brewingpic.twitter.com/d2ADw8RGbv
— Lord Immy Kant (@KantInEastt) September 23, 2025
Sent into bat, Sri Lanka made a woeful start, losing in-form Kusal Mendis in the second ball, and an over later Pathum Nissanka, their most consistent batter in the tournament, too walked back.
Sri Lanka never really recovered from those early strikes.
On a night that offered plenty of seam movement to pacers, Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/28) made the first strike, eliciting an uppish flick from Mendis that ended with Hussain Talat.
Nissanka smashed Afridi for a maximum but edged the very next ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris as Sri Lanka slipped to 18 for two.
But skipper Charith Asalanka and Kusal Perera effected a mini recovery through a 25-run alliance for the third wicket .
Asalanka and Perera looked in fine fettle as well, with both the batters finding a six each but the stand did not blossom further.
Perera tried to chip pacer Haris Rauf over the circle but Faheem Ashraf took a well-judged diving catch to snap the partnership.
Sri Lanka ended the power play on a bittersweet note at 53 for three. But the bitterness soon overrode as the Lankans lost Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka in successive balls in the eighth over. Pacer Talat drew Asalanka into a pull but there was no distance in it as Rauf took a simple catch near square leg.
In the very next ball, Shanaka edged Talat to Haris behind the wicket as Sri Lanka were pushed down to 58 for five.
Mendis (50, 44 balls), who played some really delectable shots, tried to salvage something for the Lankans with a determined fifty and stitched 43 runs for the seventh wicket with Chamika Karunaratne to take them past 100. But Mendis was largely all alone in the venture, and the early damage done was too deep to paper over.
(With PTI inputs)