Hridoy, Hassan Guide Bangla to Thrilling Win Over Sri Lanka

APP/AFP

Dubai: Bangladesh produced a dramatic turnaround in the Asia Cup on Saturday, edging past Sri Lanka by four wickets in a tense Super Four encounter after being comfortably beaten by the same opponents earlier in the tournament.

Chasing 169 for victory, Bangladesh appeared to be cruising before a late collapse turned the match into a nail-biting finish. Tail-ender Nasum Ahmed kept his composure under pressure, scoring the winning run from the penultimate delivery to complete the chase with one ball remaining.

The victory was built around half-centuries from Saif Hassan and Towhid Hridoy. Hassan provided Bangladesh with an aggressive start, hitting 61 from 45 balls, including four sixes and two fours.

Hridoy then took control of the chase with a brisk 58 off 37 deliveries. His innings included four boundaries and two sixes, while the knock also saw him complete 1,000 runs in T20 internationals.

Bangladesh looked firmly in control at 159-3 with 10 runs required from the final 10 balls. However, Hridoy’s dismissal in the 19th over, when Dushmantha Chameera trapped him leg-before, suddenly shifted momentum towards Sri Lanka.

Dasun Shanaka added to the pressure by taking two wickets in the final over, leaving Bangladesh needing to survive a tense finish. Nasum Ahmed eventually ended the drama by guiding a single off the second-last ball.

Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 168-7 after Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field.

Shanaka was the standout performer with the bat, smashing 64 from just 37 balls for his first T20 half-century since January 2023. Despite his aggressive innings, Sri Lanka were unable to convert their total into a winning score.

Their chances were further hurt by poor fielding, with the Sri Lankan side dropping three catches during Bangladesh’s chase. The absence of a frontline bowler also forced Sri Lanka to rely on part-time options for four overs, which Bangladesh successfully targeted.

The match also carried a personal emotional weight for Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage, who returned to the team after travelling from Colombo earlier in the day to attend his father’s funeral.

Bangladesh’s victory has added further intensity to the Super Four stage, with Pakistan and India preparing to meet again in their second clash of the tournament.

The two rivals could potentially meet for a third time in the final on September 28 in Dubai if both progress through the Super Four stage.

India, the reigning champions from the previous 50-over edition, remain among the favourites, while Pakistan and India advanced from Group A and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka qualified from Group B.

The tournament is also serving as an important preparation event ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.