Bangladesh has shattered Sri Lanka’s slim hopes of securing a semi-final spot with a hard-fought three-wicket victory on Monday in a thrilling World Cup encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Matches between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have often delivered memorable moments, and this clash was no exception. From the infamous ‘Nagin Dance’ celebration in 2018 by Nazmul Islam and his teammates, which was later avenged by Chamika Karunaratne’s mocking ‘Nagin Dance’ in 2022, these encounters have never lacked in excitement and drama.
ALSO READ
Both teams lived up to the expectations of the fans in a riveting contest, with Bangladesh chasing down a target of 280 runs. Despite some nervous moments towards the end, Towhid Hridoy’s steady hand ensured that “The Tigers” emerged victorious, leaving emotions running high and securing two valuable points in the process.
Sri Lanka’s pursuit of 280 started on a promising note as Dilshan Madushanka drew first blood, dismissing Tanzid Hasan for just 9 runs. Madushanka had an opportunity for another breakthrough in the same over as Litton Das tried to play towards the fine leg region, but Kusal Perera’s dropped catch gave Litton a second lifeline. Litton seized this chance by hitting two consecutive sixes off Kasun Rajitha’s over. However, his innings was cut short at 23 runs when Madushanka delivered a pinpoint yorker that struck his toe in front of the stumps.
The turning point for Bangladesh came with a crucial partnership between Najmul Hossain Shanto and skipper Shakib Al Hasan. This partnership, which was worth 141 runs, brought Bangladesh closer to victory and put them in contention for a spot in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Sri Lanka’s earlier innings saw Charith Asalanka in superb form, scoring a century to power his team to a total of 279. Kusal Perera’s struggle continued as he could only contribute 4 runs, but Pathum Nissanka’s fireworks ensured Sri Lanka ended the powerplay on a positive note, posting 55 runs on the board for the loss of one wicket.
The game also featured a peculiar dismissal of Angelo Mathews. Mathews took his time to arrive at the crease and began his innings after the stipulated three-minute mark. He further delayed his arrival by complaining about an issue with the strap of his helmet, prompting the umpires to intervene. Bangladesh skipper Shakib-al-Hasan then appealed for a time-out. Although Mathews engaged in a discussion with Shakib, the appeal was not withdrawn, and in accordance with the rules, Mathews was dismissed for a duck.
Asalanka continued to impress but was eventually dismissed in the 49th over, restricting Sri Lanka to a total of 279 runs.
Brief Score:
- Sri Lanka 279 (Charith Asalanka 108, Pathum Nissanka 41; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 3-80)
- Bangladesh 282/7 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 90, Shakib Al Hasan 82; Dilshan Madushanka 3-69).
Get every cricket update! Follow us on
