KANDY – Matheesha Pathirana’s four-fer powered Sri Lanka to bundle out Bangladesh for a meagre 164 regardless of a valiant 89-run knock by Najmul Hossain Shanto within the second match of the continuing Asia Cup 2023.
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh’s batting unit didn’t placed on a good complete on the board regardless of Shanto’s gutsy half-century. The guests received off to a dismal begin to their innings as they misplaced three wickets inside 11 overs with simply 36 runs on the board as Mohammad Naim (16), Tanzid Hassan (0) and skipper Shakib Al Hasan (5) perished cheaply.
Following the hunch, Shanto was joined by Towhid Hridoy on the crease and the pair anchored the proceedings with a cautious 59-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The duo of Shanto and Hridoy appeared to have settled down earlier than Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka drew a much-needed breakthrough for his facet within the 24th over when he trapped Hridoy lbw on 20.
Shanto was then concerned in one other essential partnership for Bangladesh of their Asia Cup 2023 marketing campaign opener when he put collectively a 32-run stand with skilled Mushfiqur Rahim. The duo, nevertheless, didn’t stretch their stand as Rahim fell sufferer to Pathirana within the 33rd over and will rating a cautious 13 off 22 deliveries.
Following Rahim’s dismissal, Shanto started to lose companions on the different finish at an alarming charge earlier than he too, finally headed again to the pavilion after MaheeshTheekshana castled him within the 42nd over. He waged a lone battle for Bangladesh of their first match of the continuing Asia Cup 2023 with a 122-ball 89 which featured seven boundaries.
Apart from him, solely Naim, Hridoy and Rahim managed to make it to the double figures. Matheesha Pathirana led the bowling assault for Sri Lanka with 4/32 in seven overs, adopted by Theekshana taking two wickets whereas Dhananjaya de Silva, DunithWellalage and Shanaka made one scalp every.
Throughout the post-match dialogue, Matheesha Pathirana, who was recognized because the participant of the match, expressed, “I’m actually delighted to safe my inaugural Participant of the Match award whereas representing my nation. The significance of slower deliveries can’t be understated; that’s exactly how I managed to say wickets in the course of the essential part in direction of the tip of the sport. The transition from T20s to the fifty-over format has rendered this talent exceptionally useful. I take satisfaction within the distinctiveness of my bowling fashion, which provides a component of unpredictability.”