SHARJAH: Young left-hander Charith Asalanka smashed an unbeaten 80 off 49 balls while fellow southpaw Bhanuka Rajapaksa made a quickfire half-century as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by five wickets in their T20 World Cup Super 12 Group 1 match in Sharjah on Sunday.
Sri Lanka suffered a mid-innings mini batting collapse but recovered in time to chase down the target of 172 with seven balls to spare, thanks to brilliant half centuries from Asalanka and Rajapaksa (53 off 31 balls) with the duo stitching 86 runs in quick time for the fifth wicket in jus 8.4 overs.
The 24-year-old Asalanka, who has played just eight ODIs and four T20Is before Sunday’s match, held the Sri Lanka innings together, hitting five fours and as many sixes in his entertaining unbeaten knock.
Coming in the 10th over, the 30-year-old Rajapaksa smashed three fours and as many sixes in his 31-ball innings as Sri Lanka reached 172 for 5 in 18.5 overs.
However Bangladesh would certainly be disappointed with their shoddy outfielding as Litton Das dropped regulation catches of both Rajapaksa and Asalanka denying his team a shot at victory.
Bangladesh got the breakthrough with the fourth delivery itself as left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed got rid of opener Kusal Perera (1) who failed to read a flatter and quicker delivery and was clean bowled.
Despite the early jolt, Sri Lanka were on the ascendency with Asalanka getting the boundaries with ease. He hoisted Nasum for two sixes in the third over and then punished Mahedi Hasan for another maximum to take Sri Lanka to 54 for 1 at the end of powerplay.
But Shakib Al Hasan triggered a mini batting collapse with two wickets — that of Pathum Nissanka (24) and Avishka Fernando (0) — in four balls.
Mohammad Saifuddin then dismissed Wanindu Hasaranga (6) as Sri Lanka lost three wickets in 10 balls for the addition of nine runs.
Sri Lanka were 80 for 4 at the halfway mark and set-batter Asalanka, who reached to his fifty off 32 balls, kept them in the hunt. He was going great guns by hoisting Mahmudullah for two sixes in the 14th over.
Sri Lanka needed 46 from the final five overs but Asalanka and new batsman Rajapaksa decisively titled the balance of the game in their favour. Rajapaksa smacked three sixes in a sensational show of batting pyrotechnics in the 16th over bowled by Saifuddin from which Sri Lanka took 22 runs.
Earlier, opener Mohammad Naim and Mushfiqur Rahim cracked impressive half centuries to steer Bangladesh to a competitive 171 for four.
