SL vs BAN match highlights: Srilanka defeating Bangladesh by 21 runs
SL vs BAN: Sri Lanka secured a 21-run victory against Bangladesh, ending the latter’s Asia Cup 2023 campaign. In a crucial match marked by intense competition, Sri Lanka set a target of 258 runs for Bangladesh. The opening partnership between Kushal Mendis and Sadira Samarawickrama provided Sri Lanka with a solid start.
Sri Lanka: 257/9 (Samarawickrama – 93, Kusal Mendis – 50, Hasan – 3/57, Taskin – 3/62)
Bangladesh: 236/10 (Hridoy – 82, Shanaka 3/28, Mahish Thiksana 3/69)
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field at the start of the match. However, Sri Lanka’s opening batsmen couldn’t establish a substantial partnership. Dimuth Karunaratne was dismissed after scoring 18 runs from 17 balls. Kushal Mendis, who partnered with Pathum Nishanka, contributed a vital 50 runs before falling to Hasan Mahmood. Pathum Nishanka added 40 runs in 60 balls to the scoreboard.
Hasan Mahmood and Taskin Ahmed starred for Bangladesh, both claiming 3 wickets, while Shariful Islam took 2 wickets.
Despite the pressure, Sadira Samarawickrama played a remarkable innings, scoring 93 runs from 72 balls. Thanks to his resilient performance, Sri Lanka reached a total of 257 runs for the loss of 9 wickets within their allotted 50 overs.
In response, Bangladesh faced a challenging chase and struggled to maintain composure throughout their innings. The opening duo of Naeem Shaikh and Mehdi Hasan Miraj showed promise, amassing 55 runs. However, they lost four wickets in quick succession, with the score at 84 runs for 4 wickets after 19 overs.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan continued his batting woes, managing just 3 runs from 7 balls before getting dismissed. Liton Das contributed 15 runs from 24 balls, but the crucial partnership came from Mushfiqur Rahim and Tauhid Hridoy, who added 72 runs for the fifth wicket. However, Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed for 29 runs, and Hridoy’s valiant innings concluded at 82 runs off 97 balls.
After these key wickets, Bangladesh’s lower-order struggled to chase down the remaining runs. Mahesh Thiksana took 3 wickets for 69 runs, and Sri Lanka’s captain Dasun Shanaka claimed 3 wickets for 28 runs.
Ultimately, Bangladesh fell short of the target, scoring 236 runs in their innings, and Sri Lanka secured a 21-run victory. This outcome marked the end of Bangladesh’s journey in the Asia Cup 2023, a result influenced by their struggles in both batting under pressure and their bowling and fielding performance. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, commenced their Super Four campaign with a hard-fought victory, with Sadira Samarawickrama and Captain Dasun Shanaka playing pivotal roles in securing the win. Additionally, spinner Mahish Thiksana’s performance, despite injury, contributed significantly to Sri Lanka’s success in the match.
