Sri Lanka secured a convincing six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their Asia Cup Group B contest in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Chasing a target of 140, Sri Lanka reached the total with 32 balls to spare. The victory was set up by a record-breaking innings from Pathum Nissanka and a crucial unbeaten knock from Kamil Mishara, giving Sri Lanka a strong start to their campaign.
Nissanka anchored the chase with a fluent 50 off 34 balls, his first T20I half-century against Bangladesh. During his innings, Nissanka also became the fastest Sri Lankan batsman to reach 2,000 runs in T20 internationals, achieving the milestone in his 68th innings. He found an able partner in Mishara, who scored an unbeaten 46 and punished the Bangladesh bowlers after being dropped early in his innings. Their second-wicket partnership of 95 runs off just 52 deliveries sealed the game for Sri Lanka, despite a brief wobble in the middle order.
Earlier, Bangladesh had a disastrous start after being put in to bat. They were reduced to 54 for five inside 10 overs, with Sri Lanka's seamers wreaking havoc. Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera both delivered consecutive wicket-maidens at the start, and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga added pressure with a spell of 2 for 25. A sharp direct hit from Mishara also accounted for a key wicket, compounding Bangladesh's early struggles.
From a dangerous position, Shamim Hossain and Jaker Ali launched a composed counterattack that rescued Bangladesh from further embarrassment. The pair combined for an unbroken 86-run partnership, with Shamim finishing on 42 not out and Jaker on 41 not out. Their efforts helped Bangladesh reach a respectable total of 139 for five after 20 overs, giving their bowlers something to defend.
The result places Sri Lanka in a strong position in Group B, while Bangladesh now has to regroup after a mixed start to their tournament. The match highlighted Sri Lanka's balanced performance, with their bowlers dominating the early stages and their batsmen securing a comfortable victory. The stage is now set for an exciting remainder of the tournament as teams vie for a spot in the Super 4 stage.