ASIA CUP 2025
Bangladesh made a horror start with the bat. © AFP
Pathum Nissanka’s fifty and a 95-run stand with Kamil Mishara (46 not out) saw Sri Lanka thump Bangladesh by six wickets in their Asia Cup 2025 opener in Abu Dhabi. A Bangladesh record for sixth-wicket partnership between Jaker Ali (41* off 34) and Shamim hossain (42* off 34) was what helped them recover after a dramatic top-order collapse to post a respectable 139 on the board. Sri Lanka, however, made short work of that target, wrapping up the chase convincingly with 5.2 overs to spare for a winning start to their campaign.
Where the match was won -It were the two wicket-maidens upfront that Bangladesh could never really recover from. A below-par 30/3 in the PowerPlay, and losing their in-form captain shortly afterwards, set them back decisively.
PowerPlay Sri Lanka Bangladesh Runs 55 30 Wickets 1 3 RPO 9.167 5
BANGLADESH
PowerPlay
Phase Score: 30/3 at 5 RPO [4x4s]
Sri Lanka could not have asked for a better start opting to bowl first as Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera both began their spells with wicket-maidens to remove the Bangladesh openers before they could get off the mark. Towhid Hridoy got a lucky reprieve on 4 but was run out the very next ball attempting a tight third run – credit due to Kamil Mishara who nailed a sharp direct-hit from a distance. If it wasn’t for their in-form skipper Litton Das, who struck three boundaries off Dasun Shanaka’s opening over, Bangladesh would have had a rather underwhelming PowerPlay.
Middle Overs
Phase Score: 63/2 at 7 RPO [5x4s]
Wanindu Hasaranga, having missed the bilateral fixture against the opponents, joined the wicket-takers party in his first over as well when he had Mahedi Hasan trapped LBW with a googly. For his second, he had to call for a review. Litton may have given Bangladesh an expensive PowerPlay over but didn’t last very long thereafter, trying the reverse sweep against the leggie only to glove it behind. At 54/5 at the halfway mark, it wasn’t looking good for Bangladesh but Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain turned it around with their steady fifty stand. The pair picked a boundary in each of the remaining PowerPlay overs to arrest the slide and push the team’s run-rate above six.
Death Overs
Phase Score:46/0 at 9.2 RPO [1x4s, 1x6s]
The death overs began quietly wherein Hasaranga finished his quota with an impressive 2/25. Matheesha Pathirana though proved expensive in his last over. He was flicked for a six by Shamim, and conceded four more wides in an 18-run over, helping them set an even 140-run target for Sri Lanka. The 86-run stand, off 65 deliveries, that resurrected the innings for Bangladesh is now a country record for the sixth wicket.
SRI LANKA
PowerPlay
Phase Score: 55/1 at 9.167 RPO [3x4s | 3x6s]
Mustafizur Rahman was handed the new ball and he vindicated the call by removing Kusal Mendis cheaply for just six in the second over of the chase. However, Bangladesh’s joy was cut short early as Nissanka was joined by Mishara and together the pair maximised the PowerPlay. The no.3 batter got a life when Mahedi Hassan dropped him on just one, and he took Shoriful Islam to the cleaners in the remainder of the over with a 6 to deep midwicket followed by back-to-back boundaries in the covers. Mahedi came on next, and was taken for 11 with Mishara depositing him over long-on ropes.
Middle Overs
Phase Score: 85/3 at 9.81 RPO [8x4s, 1x6s]
Nissanka took centrestage in the middle-overs, finding at least a boundary an over to race to a 31-ball fifty that also helped him register 2000 runs in the format. The Sri Lankan opener picked gaps with perfection both sides off the wicket, bringing up the team’s 100 in the 10th over. A brief collapse of 3 for 18 followed where Mahedi got rid of the well-set half-centurion and Kusal Perera in succeeding overs, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib sent back Shanaka cheaply. But the significant second-wicket partnership had afforded them the cushion. Mishara’s drop proved costly for Bangladesh as the no. 3 batter continued his confident strokeplay and brought up the winning runs with two balls to spare in the 15th over.
Brief Score: Bangladesh 139/5 in 20 overs (Shamim Hossain 42*, Jaker Ali 41*; Wanindu Hasaranga 2-25) lost to Sri Lanka 140/4 in 14.4 overs (Pathum Nissanka 50, Kamil Mishara 46*; Mahedi Hasan 2-29) by 6 wickets
© Cricbuzz
