Abu Dhabi: In a display of composure, timing, and sheer cricketing intelligence, Sri Lanka overcame Bangladesh by six wickets in the 5th Group B clash of the Asia Cup 2025 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium with the innings beautifully orchestrated by Kamil Mishara and Pathum Nissanka.
From the outset, it was evident that Sri Lanka’s chase of 140 was a contest of patience and shot selection rather than brute power. Mishara was the star of the show, blending elegance with aggression. Every stroke had a purpose: a backfoot pull over long-on in the 5th over that sailed for six, crisp cuts and drives racing to the boundary, and calculated running between the wickets that kept the scoreboard ticking.
Complementing him was Nissanka, who epitomised classical T20 batting, pulling, lofting, and finding gaps with precision, reaching his fifty in 34 balls and crossing the landmark of 2000 T20I runs in style. Their partnership was the fulcrum of the innings, absorbing pressure and converting it into control, while Charith Asalanka provided the finishing touches with a six.
Sri Lanka’s chase was not without minor hiccups. Kusal Mendis (3) fell early to Mustafizur Rahman, giving Bangladesh a glimmer of hope. Dasun Shanaka was dismissed cheaply for a single, and Kusal Perera’s brief stay ended with an LBW review, yet these early blows were merely a prelude to the authority displayed by Mishara and Nissanka. The duo’s understanding of each other’s game, running between the wickets, and shot selection underlined why experience and temperament are invaluable in T20 cricket.
Bangladesh, for their part, had fought valiantly in the first innings. Their top order collapsed under pressure, with openers Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Parvez Hossain Emon dismissed without troubling the scorers. Towhid Hridoy (8) offered fleeting resistance before being brilliantly run out by Mishara, and Mahedi Hasan (9) fell to Wanindu Hasaranga’s clever googly.
Captain Litton Das tried to provide stability with 28 runs, but the innings teetered at 53 for 5. It was left to the lower-order duo of Jaker Ali (41) and Shamim Hossain (33) to rescue the innings. With a mixture of calculated aggression and audacious strokeplay, including a massive six over mid-wicket from Shamim, they carried Bangladesh to a competitive 139 for 5, giving their bowlers something to defend.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers had applied pressure at intervals—Hasaranga (2/25) bowled with craft, Thushara and Pathirana maintained tight lines, and Shanaka’s short spells created moments of tension, but the batting display from Mishara and Nissanka proved unassailable. Fielding too, with Mendis producing a direct-hit run out and some sharp catches, underscored the complete performance.
This match was a lesson in how T20 cricket can combine artistry with strategy. Bangladesh showed fight, especially through Jaker and Shamim, while Sri Lanka demonstrated why experience, temperament, and partnerships define successful chases.
In the end, it was a beautifully paced innings, executed with skill and intelligence, that allowed Sri Lanka to walk away with a comfortable six-wicket victory.
