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Watch: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 21 runs in a Super Four match at the 2023 Asia Cup. Watch SL v BAN highlights.
Asked to bat at R Premadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka posted 257-9. Pathum Nissanka made 40 and Kusal Mendis 50, but the biggest contribution came from No.4 Sadeera Samarawickrama.
In a display of breathtaking strokeplay, where he hit eight fours and two sixes, Samarawickrama made 93 in 72 balls out of the 140 his team scored while he was at the crease. For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed claimed 3-62, Shoriful Islam 2-48, and Hasan Mahmud 3-57.
“When I saw the pitch, we talked about how this wasn’t a 320 pitch. it’s a 250 surface … If we had gone too hard early, we might have been out for 220. So what I tried to do after getting a start was to get the team to 250,” said Samarawickrama at the post-match press conference.
Bangladesh began well. The openers, a sketchy Mohammad Naim and a fluent Mehidy Hasan, Miraz added 55 in 67 balls, but Maheesh Theekshana (3-69), Dasun Shanaka (3-28), and Matheesha Pathirana (3-58) reduced them to 83-4.
At this point Towhid Hridoy took charge. He added 73 for the fifth wicket as Mushfiqur Rahim (29) slipped into a support role, and continued to play his strokes until Theekshana got him for a 97-ball 82. In all, he hit seven fours and a six.
Bangladesh needed 42 in 25 balls when No.11 Mahmud walked out to join No.9 Nasum Ahmed. They added a quick 20 before Pathirana cleaned up Nasum with a yorker.
Having lost both matches, Bangladesh now have to beat India – and hope other matches go their way – in order to qualify for the final. Pakistan (net run rate +1.051) and Sri Lanka (+0.420) have won their only Super Four matches, but they are yet to play India as well.
