BAN vs SL, Asia Cup: Sri Lanka 184 for 8 (Mendis 60, Shanaka 45, Ebadot 3-51) beat Bangladesh 183 for 7 (Afif 39, Mehidy 38, Karunaratne 2-32, Hasaranga 2-41) by two wickets

The no-ball alarm was sweet music in Sri Lanka’s ears in Dubai. When Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana ran two off the third ball of the last over, the TV umpire declared that offspinner Mahedi Hasan had overstepped, fatally, for the second time in the match. Sri Lanka had beaten Bangladesh by two wickets, to progress to the Super 4 phase of the Asia Cup.

It sparked huge celebrations in the Sri Lanka changing area and rounds of chuckling as they couldn’t completely accept that their line of luck in this crunch game. Asitha, on T20I debut, struck two fours in what ended up being the last four wads of the match, prior to stirring things up around town into long-on for the two that made it happen.

Bangladesh had trust when Mahedi dismissed Dasun Shanaka in the eighteenth over after the Sri Lanka chief struck a 33-ball 45 with three fours and two sixes. Then, at that point, came a wavering nineteenth over, bowled by another debutant in Ebadot Hossain, in which Sri Lanka scored 17 runs yet he also lost the perilous Chamika Karunaratne, run out by a Shakib Al Hasan direct hit.

However, it was Sri Lanka’s day, and it appeared to be destined to be so when Kusal Mendis endured four lives while scoring a 37-ball 60. He struck seven boundaries including three sixes, and Bangladesh were left mourning a dropped get, a wicket chalked off when Mahedi bowled a no-ball, a missed run-out, and a review not taken.

Bangladesh had a decent outing with the bat, with Afif Hossain hitting 39 off 22 balls after Mehidy Hasan Miraz, playing his first T20I in quite a while, shook Sri Lanka with an energetic beginning.

Mehidy gamble paid off

Bangladesh sent out Sabbir Rahman and Mehidy Hasan Miraz after debilitating six different opening matches this year. Sabbir was opening for the first time in international cricket, while Mehidy had never opened in T20Is and just a single time in international cricket, in the Asia Cup last a long time back, when the competition was an ODI occasion.

With this backdrop, Sabbir scooped the first ball he confronted, following three years of absence from the top level, to the fine-leg boundary. Mehidy braved Sabbir’s dismissal in the third over, hitting two sixes soon after, one down the ground and one sloped behind the wicket while swinging around on his toes. He hit two fours in the first six overs as well, and Bangladesh hurried to 55 for 1 in the Powerplay.

Wickets keep SL on target

Bangladesh got off to one of their best starts, however Sri Lanka continued to get wickets. Mehidy’s dismissal in the seventh over was trailed by Mushfiqur Rahim’s in the following over, as Chamika Karunaratne inspired one to raise into his face, and his endeavoured skim towards third-man took the shoulder of the bat and just went similarly as wicketkeeper Mendis.

Shakib attempted to move the run-rate along at the other end, hitting three fours off Karunaratne in the tenth over. One of them took him to 6,000 T20 runs, making him only the second cricketer to score this many runs and take more than 400 wickets in the format. But, Maheesh Theekshana eliminated him in his last over, the eleventh, again chopping down Bangladesh’s force when they appeared to be pressing onward.

Afif gives Bangladesh late lift

Mahmudullah and Afif Hossain put on 59 for the fifth wicket, hitting five fours and three sixes between them. Afif struck Hasaranga for a four and a trudge cleared six in the thirteenth over, before Mahmudullah glued a similar bowler in his next over, for another trudge cleared six and a hit back to front, high over extra-cover. Afif pounded Fernando for his second six in the following over, prior to scooping him for four.

Ebadot hits back after brisk opening stand

Sri Lanka’s openers started gradually, scoring only 13 off the first three overs of the pursuit, prior to detonating to life in the fourth and fifth overs, featured by Mendis trudge endlessly clearing Shakib for two sixes and a four off progressive balls. Right when Sri Lanka appeared to be taking off, however, Ebadot Hossain rescued Bangladesh’s powerplay, removing Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka in his first over in T20Is. Both were off short balls. Nissanka, who had struck a six and two fours, only managed to lob-pull a catch to midwicket, while Asalanka’s attempt to clear mid-off found the fielder.

Mendis rides his luck 

Exactly what number of lives might a batter fit into a T20I innings? Ask Mendis. He pulled off four lives in his 37-ball stay. At the point when he was on 2, manager Mushfiqur dropped him off Taskin. Then, in the seventh over, he was caught behind off Mahedi, just for the no-ball alarm to blare around the ground, permitting Mendis to proceed with his innings at 29. In the following over, he swung at an Ebadot delivery that took a touch of the glove. Neither the bowler nor wicketkeeper Mushfiqur made certain of it, and Bangladesh passed up sending it up for a review.

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Sabbir got another opportunity when Mendis, on 44, and Shanaka got into a mix-up, however he missed the stumps with Mendis essentially a foot short of the crease. Finally, Taskin took a diving catch at third to send Mendis back for 60. Taskin had a fine day, wrapping up with 2 for 24 from four overs separated from taking those two catches, yet his energy didn’t exactly come off in the rest of his team.