After a delay due to COVID and a postponement for another year, the Asia Cup 2022, hosted by Sri Lanka but played in the UAE due to the political and social turmoil in the island, finally kicked off on August 27.
The series was played in the T20 format and was not short of thrills. Sri Lanka were crowned champions on Sunday, September 11, and here are some memorable moments from the continental tournament:
Sri Lanka suffer early jolt
If one had any doubts about how competitive this tournament was going to get, those were dispelled by a spirited Afghanistan on the very first day of the tournament.
Giving enough indication that they would not be mere spectators, Afghanistan thrashed a below-par Sri Lanka by eight wickets and start their Asia Cup campaign on a resounding note.
Opting to bowl, Afghanistan first produced a sensational bowling effort to dismiss Sri Lanka for a paltry 105 in 19.4 overs.
Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi (3/11) rattled the top-order before spinners Mohammad Nabi (2/14) and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman stifled the Lankans in the middle overs.
In reply, Afghanistan cantered home in just 10.1 overs to register a big win in their milestone 100th T20 International.
Afghanistan blown away by Naseem
Afghanistan's bowlers were quite the revelation at Asia Cup 2022 and nearly pulled off another coup during their Super 4s match against Pakistan on Wednesday, September 7.
Pakistan bowlers had restricted the Afghans to a measly 129 for 6.
In reply, Pakistan lost three early wickets as their nature to flirt with danger became more and more apparent as the game progressed.
Although Shadab Khan (36) batted like a leader, his 45 run stand with Iftikhar Ahmed was soon broken with the latter's dismissal.
Rashid then had Shadab's number before Fazhalhaq Farooqui first dismissed Mohammad Nawaz and then went through Khushdil Shah's defence.
Pakistan was reduced to 118 for 9 and with 11 needed off the last over, last man Naseem Shah struck two massive back-to-back sixes to win the match by 1 run and take Pakistan to the final.
Fareed-Asif get physical
In what was a virtual semi-final, Pakistan needed a win to book a place in Sunday's final -- and temperatures ran high with Pakistan on the brink of victory.
In the penultimate over of the game, with 21 needed from the last two overs, Afghan bowler Fareed Ahmed took out Haris Rauf, who inside edged the ball onto his stumps for Pakistan to go 8 down.
That brought Naseem Shah to the crease. The nervous No 11 batter first let the wide ball go through to the wicket-keeper before taking a single off the next ball.
Asif Ali smashed the next ball over cow corner for a six.
Fareed then had Asif caught -- banging in a short ball, the batter swung his bat, trying to clear the infield, but his shot was uncontrolled and he was caught at fine leg.
On Asif's way to the dugout, Fareed exchanged words with the Pakistani batter who got riled and raised his bat in retaliation. Both players were separated by the Afghan fielders and the umpires.
Virat Kohli's 71st century
The wait was long, but worth it as Virat Kohli completed his first T20I century.
Kohli's masterful 122 came in 61 balls as he broke a few records along the way. He completed 3,500 runs, becoming the second men's player to get to the landmark in T20Is after Rohit Sharma.
Kohli breached another milestone, scoring 24,002 runs in 468 international matches in 522 innings across all formats to become the seventh-highest run scorer in international cricket.
After the match, Kohli credited his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, for her support.
'I know there was a lot of stuff going outside. And I kissed my ring. You see me standing here because one person has put things in perspective for me. That's Anushka. This hundred is for her and for our little daughter Vamika as well.'
'When you have someone next to you having conversations putting things in perspective, like Anushka has been... when I came back I was not desperate. Six weeks off, I was refreshed.'
Sri Lanka winning the Cup
The victory was not just about cricket, but way beyond that, with deeper historical and political importance.
It was one for posterity as Sri Lanka first raised themselves from the dungeons to post 170 for 6 from a hopeless 58 for 5, thanks to Bhanuka Rajapaksa's 45-ball 71, easily one of the best knocks under pressure in T20s in recent times.
If that wasn't enough, Pakistan, who were cruising along at 93 for 2, were bowled out for 147 as pacer Pramod Madushan (4/34 in 4 overs) and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (3/27 in 4 overs) ensured that the few thousands of Sri Lankan fans out-cheered the 20,000 odd Pakistan fans.
Sri Lanka have understood how to win crunch matches from the dead.
