Tigers exit Asia Cup with heavy hearts

Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana hug each other in jubilation, leaving Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan dejected at the other end, after hitting the winning runs to knock the Tigers out of the Asia Cup in Dubai on Thursday. Photo: AFP

It was heartbreak for Bangladesh as they exited the Asia Cup, unable to grab the bull by the horns, on Thursday following an agonising two-wicket defeat in Dubai.

Kusal Mendis, let off four times, took the game away from the Tigers as his 37-ball 60-run knock helped Sri Lanka chase down Bangladesh's competitive total of 183 for seven with four balls to spare.

It was missed catches and no-balls, leading to reprieves on multiple occasions, that saw the game eventually slip away from Shakib Al Hasan and his troops. With players, members of the team management and former cricketers of both the sides engaging in a war of words preceding the game, it made for a tense atmosphere at the Dubai International Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka began the chase cautiously after seeing off the first three overs. Taskin Ahmed produced a nick off Mendis, on two, in the second over only for Mushfiqur Rahim to drop it.

Pathum Nissanka and Mendis then began with a vengeance against Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan, picking them off for 13 and 18 respectively to reach 44 for no loss in five overs.

It was debutant Ebadot Hossain, whose sharp bowling got the Tigers back into the match. Ebadot had undone both Nissanka and Charith Asalanka with pace and bounce in his very first T20I over.

Mendis, who had raced to 30, survived a major scare when a no-ball from Mahedi Hasan saw him continue his innings despite nicking one back to the wicketkeeper.

In the eighth over, Mendis got his third reprieve right after Ebadot sent back Danushka Gunathilaka. A nick went through to the wicket-keeper and was taken but no one appealed. Mendis also survive a tight run-out chance later on.

The game eventually ended in a way that depicted the entire day for Bangladesh as Mahedi overstepped to gift Sri Lanka the winning run.

Earlier, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Mosaddek Hossain and Afif Hossain played aggressive knocks that helped Bangladesh amass their highest T20I total in the UAE.