Asia Cup: Litton hails pacers Mustafizur, Taskin after win; SL counterpart Asalanka rues not capitalising on final two overs
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Bangladesh pulled off a thrilling four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their opening Super Four match of the Asia Cup, chasing down 169 with just one ball to spare. The win kicked off the stage on a high note for the Bangla Tigers, thanks to standout performances from their bowlers and batters.
Sri Lanka looked set for a big total after reaching 153/4 at the end of 18 overs, with Dasun Shanaka unleashing a fierce attack. But Bangladesh’s pacers turned the game around. Mustafizur Rahman struck in the 19th over, grabbing three wickets for just five runs and slamming the brakes on Sri Lanka’s momentum. Taskin Ahmed then held firm in the final over, leaking only 10 runs—including a four and a six from Shanaka—to keep the target manageable at 169.
Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and batted first. Openers Pathum Nissanka (22 off 15 balls) and Kusal Mendis (34 off 25) laid a solid foundation with a 44-run stand, full of boundaries and sixes. But Bangladesh’s bowlers fought back, reducing Sri Lanka to 97/4 by the 14th over after quick dismissals of Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Perera. Shanaka stepped up with an unbeaten 29, partnering briefly with captain Charith Asalanka (21 off 12), to guide Sri Lanka to 168/7. Mustafizur finished with impressive figures of 3/20, while Mahedi Hasan claimed two wickets and Taskin took one.
In the chase, Bangladesh stumbled early with Tanzid Hasan’s dismissal, but captain Litton Das and Saif Hassan rebuilt through a 59-run partnership. Saif then anchored the innings with a composed 61 off 45 balls, featuring two fours and four sixes, while Towhid Hridoy smashed 58 off 37 with four boundaries and two sixes in a crucial 54-run stand. A late wobble saw Bangladesh slip from 159/3 to 168/6, but Shamim Hossain (14 not out) and Nasum Ahmed (1 not out) stayed cool to seal the win.
Litton Das praised his bowlers after the match. “We know how dangerous Mustafizur is,” he said during the presentation. “Mustafizur and Taskin changed the game in those last two overs. It felt like they were heading to 190, but they kept it down. Taskin bowled a great final over. I knew Saif could win games for Bangladesh—we all saw his potential in the UAE.” Looking ahead to their clash with India on September 24, Litton added, “New venue, new team—we’ve got to bring our A-game.”
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka called it a terrific contest but admitted they fell short. “We’re pleased with our batting, but we could’ve done better in the last two overs,” he said. “We were 10-15 runs short. Dasun Shanaka batted brilliantly—we pushed him up the order, and he delivered. That big six had the dressing room buzzing, thinking we’d hit 170, our target mark.”
This nail-biting Asia Cup thriller highlights Bangladesh’s resilience and Sri Lanka’s fighting spirit as the Super Four stage heats up.
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