Winners of the Group A game between Pakistan and Hong Kong on Friday will secure a Super Four spot alongside India
\nISLAMABAD
\nSri Lanka\u2019s Asitha Fernando (L) and Maheesh Theekshana celebrate their win during the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on September 1, 2022. \u2014 AFP\/File
\nDUBAI: Star players Kusal Mendis and skipper Dasun Shanaka\u2019s powerful knocks helped Sri Lanka move into the Asia Cup Super Four stage with a two-wicket win over Bangladesh on Thursday.
\nChasing 184 for victory in a winner-takes-all game, Sri Lanka rode on a key 54-run stand between Mendis (60) and Shanaka (45) before the tail helped achieve their target with four balls to spare in Dubai.
\nMendis fell after his 37-ball knock and Shanaka was out in the 18th over.
\nBut Chamika Karunaratne, with a 10-ball 16, and Asitha Fernando, unbeaten on 10, held their nerve to knock Bangladesh out of the tournament, which acts as a tune-up to the T20 World Cup in October-November.
\nNeeding eight of the final over, Fernando hit a four and then took two runs off a no-ball to trigger celebrations in the Sri Lankan camp.
\nBangladesh fast bowler Ebadot Hossain claimed three wickets but gave away 51 runs in his four overs.
\nEbadot broke through in his first over to send back Pathum Nissanka for 20 and three balls later took the wicket of Charith Asalanka for one.
\nMendis, who was dropped on two by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, survived a reprieve on 29 when he was given caught behind but the delivery from off-spinner Mahedi Hasan turned out to be a no-ball.
\nEabadot dismissed Danushka Gunathilaka as Sri Lanka slipped to 67-3 and soon 77-4 with the departure of the big-hitting Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
\nMendis was then kept company by Shanaka as the two put the chase back on track and soon took the attack to the opposition bowlers.
\nShanaka hammered Ebadot in a 22-run 13th over while Mendis reached his fifty in 31 balls.
\nBangladesh spearhead Mustafizur Rahman sent the Tigers fans wild with the wicket of Mendis, who hit four fours and three sixes in his knock.
\nEarlier, put in to bat first, Bangladesh posted 183-7 after a 57-run fifth-wicket partnership between Afif Hossain (39) and Mahmudullah Riyad (27).
\nMosaddek Hossain chipped in with a useful 24 not out off nine balls to finish the innings with a flourish.
\nSri Lanka took regular wickets, with Wanindu Hasaranga and Karunaratne claiming two each to help the island nation move into the next stage alongside Afghanistan from Group B.
\nThe winners of the Group A game between Pakistan and Hong Kong on Friday will secure a Super Four spot alongside India. Sri Lanka will face Afghanistan in the opening Super Four clash in Sharjah on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Winners of the Group A game between Pakistan and Hong Kong on Friday will secure a Super Four spot alongside India ISLAMABAD Sri Lanka\u2019s Asitha Fernando (L) and Maheesh Theekshana celebrate their win during the Asia Cup Twenty20 international cricket match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":281219,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-281197","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n