CARDIFF: Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed said that during the game against Sri Lanka he told Muhammad Amir that if they take the game to the 40th over Pakistan will win.

Speaking in a post-match ceremony, Pakistan captain said: ?Thanks to Amir, he played really well. I just told him to play his game and not to worry about the score- that if we took it to the 40th over we would win.?

He further added that drop catches are part of the game.

?Allah helped us and that's why Pakistan won today,? he said. 

Speaking on the occasion, Sri Lankan captain Mathews said that the match against Pakistan was a ?see-saw kind of game?. 

Mohammad Amir (R) celebrates with Sarfraz Ahmed after their victory in the ICC Champions Trophy match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.?AFP Photo

?Credit should go to Pakistan. They held their nerves and are deserved winners. it was a bit of a funny wicket. We hadn't got the runs on the board but we knew we could defend this. And the bowlers did their job, but we didn't hold on to our catches,? he said.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed and tail-ender Mohammad Amir staged a late fightback on Monday to take Pakistan to an incredible three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at Cardiff.

The win has taken Pakistan to the semifinals of the Champions Trophy for the first time in eight years, and will now face England on Wednesday.

Sarfraz and Amir steadied the ship after the Pakistani middle order collapsed once again in chase of Sri Lanka's 237-run target in the virtual quarterfinal between the two teams.