Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2023
Cricket Fantasy: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2023. Bangladesh’s Asia Cup 2023 journey began on a disappointing note as they faced a defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka. In the tournament opener, Sri Lanka emerged victorious against Shakib Al Hasan’s side by securing a five-wicket win.
Having won the toss, Bangladesh opted to bat first. However, the Bengal Tigers couldn’t endure the full 50 overs, eventually concluding their innings at 164 runs in 42.4 overs. In response, Sri Lanka chased down the target in 39 overs with five wickets in hand. Following the surprising loss to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh’s captain Shakib Al Hasan remarked, “The pitch didn’t favor a high-scoring match. We needed around 220-230 runs. Our bowlers put in a commendable effort, but the lack of runs proved decisive. This is a lesson for us, and we’ll progress from here.” Shakib admitted that their batsmen fell short of posting a competitive total, resulting in the outcome of the match.
On the contrary, Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka credited his bowlers for their role in the comfortable victory, noting, “We believed this pitch was more favorable than the score Bangladesh managed. Our bowlers executed their plans effectively.”
Ahead of the Asia Cup commencement, Bangladesh faced challenges within their camp. Liton Das’s absence from the tournament due to viral fever posed an issue, and the captaincy conundrum also attracted attention. Eventually, Shakib Al Hasan assumed the captaincy, but his team faced a disheartening defeat on the opening day. It was also the debut day for Bangladesh opener Tanjid Hasan, although he failed to make an impact.
Tanjid’s journey to the national team had been marked by impressive performances across various levels. Mohammad Naeem, the second opener, departed after contributing 16 runs. Bangladesh’s batting struggled from the outset, but Najmul Hussain Shanto stood tall with a fighting knock of 89 runs. Regrettably, Shanto fell just shy of a century. His contribution proved crucial in helping Bangladesh reach a respectable score. Captain Shakib Al Hasan, however, couldn’t make a significant impact with just 5 runs to his name. The team’s experienced campaigner, Mushfiqur Rahim, managed only 13 runs. Apart from four players, the rest of the Bangladeshi batting lineup struggled to reach double-digit scores.
With a modest total to defend, the Bangladeshi bowlers needed early breakthroughs to tilt the match in their favor. While Karunaratne (1), Nissanka (14), and Kushal Mendis (5) were dismissed early, Aslanka (62 not out) and Samarawickrama (54) steadied Sri Lanka’s innings. Samaravikrama’s dismissal was followed by Dhananjay’s (2) exit, but the Sri Lankan ship remained steady. Asalanka’s unbeaten 62 and Shanaka’s (14 not out) contribution ensured Sri Lanka’s victory. The spotlight now turns to whether Bangladesh can reverse their fortunes in the remainder of the tournament.
