Sri Lanka kicked off their Asia Cup 2025 Group B campaign in commanding fashion, defeating Bangladesh by six wickets at Abu Dhabi. Pathum Nissanka’s fluent half-century and a mature, unbeaten knock from Kamil Mishara steered Sri Lanka home in just 14.4 overs, leaving Bangladesh scrambling to build momentum after a disastrous start with the ball.
Bangladesh never truly settled. Sri Lanka’s decision to bowl first proved fruitful. The opening attack, led by Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera, ripped through the top order in successive overs. Tanzania Hasan Tamim was bowled by Thushara’s searing pace, and Parvez Hossain Emon edged one behind off Chameera—both wickets coming in the first two overs without Bangladesh adding a single run. A run-out of Towhid Hridoy and regular breakthroughs left Bangladesh teetering at 11 for 3, well behind where they needed to be.
Captain Litton Das attempted to steady the innings. His 26-ball 28 showed glimpses of the recovery Bangladesh needed, but regular dismissals and tight spin bowling from Wanindu Hasaranga (2-25) kept them under pressure. The lower middle order resisted briefly—Shamim Hossain and Jaker Ali combined for a record sixth-wicket stand of 86* to push Bangladesh to a respectable 139 for 5 in their 20 overs. Without their contribution, their total looked likely to be under 120.
In response, Sri Lanka’s chase was marked by authority and calm. Pathum Nissanka was exemplary, scoring 50 off 34 balls with controlled aggression—punishing bad balls, rotating strike, and placing shots with precision. His knock included six boundaries and a six, and it also saw him become the fastest Sri Lankan to reach 2000 T20I runs in 68 innings, eclipsing the previous mark.
After Nissanka’s dismissal, Kamil Mishara came in and added stability. His unbeaten 46 off 32 balls turned out to be the finishing touch. He met the captain’s request to “take the innings deep,” playing both the late-overs with aggression and the middle overs with restraint. Together, Nissanka and Mishara put on a match-winning second wicket partnership of 95 runs, taking the game away from Bangladesh before too many nerves could set in.
Sri Lanka wrapped up their chase with five overs to spare, finishing on 140 for 4. Charith Asalanka also played a brief cameo toward the end, hitting a six and ensuring there was no late drama.
For Bangladesh, the loss exposes several concerns. Their powerplay collapse was brutal, and even though there was a fightback from the tail, the top and middle order didn’t contribute enough. Their spin attack also couldn’t snag critical wickets when Sri Lanka were trying to grind. Fielding was patchy, and they dropped depth in pressure moments.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, showed balance—fearless yet methodical batting, varied bowling, and calm under pressure. Hasaranga’s return to form with the ball, combined with pace from Thushara and Chameera, gave Bangladesh few moments of reprieve.
This result gives Sri Lanka momentum, a strong net run rate boost, and puts them in a favourable position in Group B. Bangladesh, meanwhile, face a crucial game next against Afghanistan—one they arguably must win if they hope to keep pace with others for a Super Four spot.
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