DUBAI: Sri Lanka’s wicket-keeper batter Kusal Mendis led the way with a magnificent half-century while captain Dasun Shanaka scored an important 45 to propel their side to beat Bangladesh by two wickets and qualified for the Super Fours of Asia Cup 2022.

Set to chase a mammoth 184, Sri Lanka steered to the victory in the final over with two wickets to spare, thanks to the fifty from Mendis and an anchoring knock from their captain Shanaka.

Sri Lankan openers Mendis and Pathum Nissanka provided a solid start to the run chase as they began to pile up runs at a quick rate. Nissanka, however, who was struggling to get going, fell victim to the debutant Ebadot Hossain in the sixth over after scoring 20 off 19.Charith Asalanka’s stay at the crease remained brief as he also departed for a paltry score of one in the same over while attempting to slog the ball. The hosts then lost two more wickets in quick succession and were soon reduced to 77/4 in the ninth over.

Following the slump, Mendis and Shanaka scripted an astounding recovery as the pair put on an important 54-run partnership for the fifth wicket and made sure to score according to the mounting required run rate before Mendis perished in the 15th over.

The right-handed batter top-scored for the side with a brilliant 60 off 37 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and three sixes. Shanaka, on the other hand, held his ground firm and anchored the run chase with a valiant knock of 45 off just 33 balls with the help of three boundaries and two sixes. The high-scoring thriller took a sharp twist in the 18th over when Shanaka fell to Mahedi Hasan while attempting to muscle the ball over the long-on fence. Sri Lanka’s batting tail – Chamika Karunaratne and Asitha Fernando, however, denied the twist and Bangladesh’s comeback in the game as the two batters batted sensibly at the death and clinched the victory out of Bangladesh’s grasp. Karunaratne scored an important 16 off just 10 deliveries before being run out in the 19th over, while Fernando remained unbeaten with his 10 and steered Sri Lanka over the line and into the Super Fours.

For Sri Lanka, Ebadot led the way with three wickets, while Taskin Ahmed claimed two. Mustafizur Rahman and Mahedi, on the other hand, struck out a batter each. Sri Lanka, after winning the toss, invited Bangladesh to bat first. The decision, however, did not seem to go in the hosts’ favour as their opponents piled up a massive 183/7 in the allotted 20 overs. Batting first, Bangladesh were off to a dismal start as they lost their first wicket in the third over at a combined score of mere 19 with Sabbir Rahman walking back to the pavilion in disgust after managing to score only five. Opening batter Mehidy Hasan Miraz and skipper Shakib Al Hasan then anchored the inning with an important 39-run partnership for the second wicket. The partnership was majorly dominated by the opener, who scored at a quick pace for his 38.

He faced 28 deliveries and smashed four boundaries including two sixes to give his side a solid start. Shakib, on the other hand, held his ground firm with an anchoring knock while wicket-keeper batter Mushfiqur Rahim fell cheaply for a mere four in the next over and Bangladesh, as a result, slipped to 63/3 in eight overs. Following the slump, middle-order batter Afif Hossain then took on the Sri Lankan bowlers and raced up the proceedings with his blistering knock and remained unaffected by Shakib’s dismissal in the 11th over, who scored a snail-paced 24 off 22 deliveries. Afif, however, top-scored for Bangladesh with a quickfire 39 off just 27 balls with the help of four boundaries and two sixes. A late onslaught from all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain then bolstered Bangladesh to breach the 180-run mark as the side finished at 183/7 in 20 overs. He scored a quickfire 24 off just nine balls including four boundaries. 

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 02 2022

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