Following his side’s five-wicket win over Bangladesh in their Asia Cup 2023 match, Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka lauded batter Charith Asalanka for his knock, saying that the batter has been outstanding for them during last couple of years. Half-centuries by Charith Asalanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama guided Sri Lanka to a hard-fought five-wicket win over Bangladesh in their Asia Cup 2023 campaign opener at Kandy on Thursday.
“The way bowlers executed, credit to them. Especially Theekshana up front, Dhananjaya, and Pathirana who is bowling so well. It was a tricky surface. We thought it was a better pitch than the score Bangladesh scored. The bowlers stood up. The wickets are being used in the LPL so we all know (about the conditions). The way Sadeera batted, today was his day. Asalanka has been outstanding over the last 2 years. Good signs for Sri Lankan cricket,” said Shanaka in the post-match presentation.
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Asalanka has represented SL in 36 ODIs, scoring 1,155 runs at an average of 42.77 and a strike rate of over 90. He has scored a century and nine fifties in 31 innings, with the best score of 110. Electing to bat first, Bangladesh sunk to 36/3 in 10.4 overs. A 59-run partnership between Najmul Shanto and Towhid Hridoy helped Bangladesh gain temporary relief.
However, the game changed after Matheesha Pathirana dismissed wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim, reducing Bangladesh to 127/5. From then on, nobody except Shanto (89 in 122 balls, with seven fours) put up a fight and Bangladesh was bundled out for 164 in 42.4 overs. Pathirana was the pick of the bowlers for SL, taking 4/32 in 7.4 overs. Maheesh Theekshana took 2/19 in his eight overs. Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalege, and skipper Dasun Shanaka took a wicket each.
In the chase of 165, SL lost two quick wickets in the form of their openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka and were reduced to 15/2. After a brief partnership between Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama, SL was given another jolt as Mendis was dismissed by Shakib. SL was 43/3.
Then a 78-run stand between Sadeera (54 in 77 balls with six fours) and Charith Asalanka helped SL to three figures and brought them to brink of a win. Two more wickets put the defending champions under a slight threat, but Asalanka (62* in 92 balls, with five fours and a six) and Shanaka (14*) guided them to a five-wicket win.
Shakib al Hasan was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2/29 in his 10 overs. Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mehadi Hasan took a wicket each.
Pathirana bagged the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his match-winning spell.
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