Once again, Nerves of steel came into play as Bangladesh won a nail-biting match over Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and managed to reach a target of 169 with a single ball left. Not only did the win land Bangladesh to the Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours, it also took away the eight straight match winning streak of Sri Lanka in the T20 Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka Made a Difficult Grand Total.
Sri Lanka, batting first, made 168 to 7 on a level ground which presented both bowlers and batters with something. Charith Asalanka had an understated innings and Kusal Mendis gave it an early boost. Nevertheless, the Bangladesh bowlers, particularly Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed, kept it close in key moments so that Sri Lanka could not go past the 170-mark. Asalanka afterwards acknowledged that his side had been ten to fifteen short of a really competitive total.
Saif Hassan Leads the Chase
The response of Bangladesh had an unfavorable beginning as Tanzid Tamim was early defeated by Dushmantha Chameera. The opener Saif Hassan however evened the innings with a confident stroke-filled knock that heralded the chase. Together with Litton Das, the duo then retaliated brilliantly in the powerplay taking calculated risks against the pacers of Sri Lanka.
In the middle overs Towhid Hridoy subsequently assumed control to the delight of the fans by playing the off-side beautifully. Wanindu Hasaranga was economical in his bowling and attempted to bring Sri Lanka back into the fray, however, it was the absence of a reliable fifth bowler that exposed his team.
Drama in the Final Over
It boiled down to the last over, the last ball of which was bowled by Dasun Shanaka, and Bangladesh had only a few runs required. Shanaka had almost brought the game upside down as he rejected Jaker Ali and took Mahedi Hasan on the basis of a good review. Yet tension notwithstanding Nasum Ahmed managed to stand his ground, scampering one when he had a run-out opportunity missed to score the win.
A Statement Win
This victory was the third of Bangladesh in their past four T20 matches with Sri Lanka and this was a sign of increased confidence between the two countries in their competition. Play of the Match Saif Hassan was praised to have played a match-defining knock, whilst Litton Das praised bowlers who prepared the chase.
Bangladesh is now poised to go into the Super Fours with a new energy and Sri Lanka must now look forward to re-strategizing before their next test.
Month: Current Affairs - September 23, 2025
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