Sri Lanka brush aside Bangladesh in Asia Cup opener

Pathum Nissanka’s half-century and a 95-run partnership with Kamil Mishara, who scored an ebullient 46*, saw Sri Lanka swat away Bangladesh in their Asia Cup 2025 campaign opener in Abu Dhabi. Jaker Ali and Shamim hossain executed the repair job to perfection after a devastating top-order collapse to help Bangladesh post a respectable 139 on the board. Sri Lanka, however, cruised to that manageable target, wrapping up the chase swimmingly with 32 balls to spare.

The two wicket-maidens upfront put such a huge hole in the Bangladeshi innings that could never really plug it. An underwhelming 30/3 in the PowerPlay, and losing their in-form captain shortly thereafter, pegged them back decisively.

The Sri Lankan pacers vindicated their decision to bowl first as Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera combined to remove the Bangladesh openers before they could even get off the mark. Towhid Hridoy was dropped by Charith Asalanka on 4 but was run out the very next ball attempting a third run. Mishara was quick to chase the ball down and turned around to unleash an accurate throw at the non-striker’s end. If it wasn’t for the game smarts of their in-form skipper Litton Das, who targetted the trundler Dasun Shanaka, Bangladesh would have had an even worse PowerPlay.

Wanindu Hasaranga, coming off an injury layoff, hit the ground running, not only with the ball in hand but also in the field. He entered the wickets coloumn in his first over when he had Mahedi Hasan trapped in front with a googly. Litton may have spared Bangladesh the blushes in the PowerPlay but in an attempt to reverse sweep the leggie he perished on 28. With the scoreboard reading a sorry 54/5 at the halfway mark, things weren’t exactly looking promising for Bangladesh but Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain turned a corner with their resolute fifty stand. Ali played the supportive role whereas Shamim showcased his strokeplay more often, taking calculated risks.

The death overs began on a tranquil note with Hasaranga returning figures of 2/25. Matheesha Pathirana though proved expensive in his last over. He was flicked nonchalantly for a six by Shamim, and conceded four more wides in an 18-run over. The vital 86-run alliance, off 65 deliveries, that resurrected the innings for Bangladesh is now a national record for the sixth wicket.

The experienced Mustafizur Rahman was handed the new ball in the arduous defence and he justified the call by removing Kusal Mendis cheaply in the second over of the innings. However, Bangladesh couldn’t cause any further damage to Sri Lanka in the PowerPlay as Nissanka linked up with Mishara to promptly stabilize the ship. The one-drop batter got a life when Mahedi Hassan dropped him at the nascent stage of his knock, and he obtained full advantage, taking Shoriful Islam to the cleaners. Mahedi came on next, and went for 11 with Mishara depositing him over long-on.

The rock-solid Nissanka came into his own in the middle-overs, finding at least a boundary an over to gallop to a 31-ball fifty that ushered him past 2,000 runs in the format. The Sri Lankan opener hit the gaps proficiently on both sides off the wicket, bringing up the team’s ton in the 10th over. A mini-collapse of 3 for 18 followed where Mahedi got rid of the well-set Mendis and Kusal Perera in succeeding overs, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib sent Shanaka packing. However, the breakthroughs came all too late for Bangladesh as by this time Sri Lanka were already on the verge of victory. Mishara hit the winnings runs in the 15th over, sealing Sri Lanka’s positive start to the regional tournament.

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