BRAVO DASUN SHANAKA A BRILLIANT COMEBACK UNBEATEN 68 OFF 37

By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka lost a vital Super Four match to Bangladesh who chased down 169 with a ball to spare with four wickets intact in a sweet revenge comeback from a bad group stage loss dictated by three of the top four with opening batsman Saif Hassan leading the charge by a center piece workmanlike 61 off 45 balls sword edged by 4 sixes and 2 across with skipper Litton Das 23 off 16 crossing the ropes thrice by a second wicket 60 stand in the power play 6.3 overs in arresting a 1 for 1 Nuwan Thushara first over fifth ball strike when the Lankan quick clean bowled Tanzid Hasan for a second ball duck at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

But Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka not bringing his main strike bowler, leg spin wizard early on with Bangladesh well positioned in the 60s for the loss of just the one wicket in the power play six overs with Hassan and Das in threatening mood was a letting the horses bolt negative factor. A fact which did find meaning when Hasaranga did break the partnership into
the third ball of the seventh over when he had Das caught by Nissanka, but by early as then Bangladesh had done the damage to going through where the wisdom of bringing in Dunith Wellalage first change despite that five sixes bashing in the previous game and the player not in the best of spirits by the tragic loss of his father only two days ago.

The well set Hassan went on to consolidate the fiery start adding 54 off 39 balls together with Towhid Hridoy who went on to 58 off 31 balls (2×4, 2×6) and when he was fourth out with the score 159 into 18.3 overs Bangladesh had good as won it.

Sri Lanka, put into bat, lost their way following a 44 first wicket pairing between Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis. Nissanka fell for 22 to Taskin Ahmed who had him caught by Saif Hassan by the last ball of the fifth over. Mendis, who was shaping well was removed by fast man Mustafizur Rahman, back to his element from a lean run as he went on to finish with 3 for 20 accounting for Kusal Janith Perera nicking behind to the wicket-keeper for 16 and Kamindu Mendis in similar fashion for a second ball 1 as in-between Mahedi Hasan took the second wicket to fall clean bowling Kamil Mishara for for 5 off 11 as Sri Lanka slid to 97 for 4 after 13.4 overs.

Skipper Charith Asalanka joined former captain Dasun Shanaka promoted ahead to No 5 in adding a valuable 57 for the fifth wicket, but his run out by Das proved to be a turning point in the game as Sri Lanka’s charge for a bigger total was crushed when on a flight with the score 154 for 5 after 18.1 as the explosive Kamindu Mendis was bundled out two balls later by Rahman.

The gloomy stage was to herald the comeback from the wilderness of run making of Dasun Shanaka who turned it big with a superlative unbeaten innings of 68 off 37 balls, 48 of which in the blaze of six mighty piercing shots to the stands and 3 to the ropes in a virtual lone battle with Bangladesh watching Sri Lanka’s hero against Hong Kong Wanindu Hasaranga fall for 2, a victim of Mustafizur Rahman.

Bangladesh 169 for 6 (Saif 61, Hridoy 58, Shanaka 2-21) beat Sri Lanka 168 for 7 (Shanaka 64*, Mustafizur 3-20, Mahedi 2-25) by four wickets