Pathirana leads Sri Lanka to five-wicket win over Bangladesh in Asia Cup

Young fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana grabbed a career-best 4-32 and led injury-hit Sri Lanka to a comfortable five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the Asia Cup on Thursday.

Pathirana consistently challenged the batters with his deceptive pace while spinners Dhananjaya de Silva and Dunith Wellalage dried up runs in the middle overs as Bangladesh were bowled out for 164 in 42.4 overs.

Charith Asalanka (62 not out) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (54) then hit half centuries and carried Sri Lanka to 168-5 with 11 to overs spare despite the top order hobbling against Bangladesh’s pace and the left-arm spin of captain Shakib Al Hasan, who took 2-29.

Sri Lanka stuttered at 3-43 within the first 10 overs when fast bowler Taskin Ahmed had Dimuth Karunaratne clean bowled cheaply and Al Hasan knocked back the stumps of Kusal Mendis with a straight delivery.

But Asalanka and Samarawickrama rebuilt the chase with a 78-run stand before Mahedi Hasan had the latter stumped off a delivery that spun away from the right-hander.

Shakib then had Dhananjaya de Silva’s stumps rattled with a full pitched delivery before Asalanka ensured Sri Lanka got home with plenty of overs to spare.

It was a remarkable show by Sri Lanka’s second string bowlers after injuries to multiple front-line bowlers ahead of the tournament, including ace leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.

Al Hasan’s decision to bat first under overcast conditions didn’t go well. Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana struck off his second ball when he had Tanzid Hasan leg before wicket without scoring that encouraged Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka to deploy spinners inside the first 10 overs despite overcast conditions.

De Silva had Mohammad Naim (16) caught at point off a leading edge and Pathirana’s pace outdone Al Hasan (5) who gloved a low catch to wicketkeeper Pathum Nissanka as Bangladesh slipped to 3-36 in the 11th over.

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