Pakistan, Lanka square off for last spot in semis

Birmingham : 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’ tomorrow. Both the teams lost their opening matches but bounced back into reckoning after producing two of the tournament’s biggest upsets so far. Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka are upbeat after their upset victories and it’s difficult to pick a favourite for tomorrow’s match. History, however, favours Pakistan as they have won twice as against one by Sri Lanka in Champions Trophy. Overall, in the 147 matches the two sides have played against each other, Pakistan have won 84 as against 58 by Sri Lanka. One match was tied while four games ended as no result. Most of the matches in this event have been affected by rain and if a washed out happens tomorrow, it will be a complex calculation to decide who make it to the semifinals.
‘Stokes can ‘go through roof’ after downing Oz’
Eoin Morgan said the potential of Ben Stokes is “through the roof” after having the best view in the house as the all-rounder’s stunning century helped England knock Australia out of the Champions Trophy.
“We felt that the positive way was the best way,” Morgan told reporters of the chat he’d had with Stokes shortly before the match got underway again. “It managed to work, we did it in our own way.” He added: “So I did what I do, and obviously Ben’s very naturally aggressive and finds attacking quite easy.”