Another poor day in the field saw Hong Kong miss key opportunities.
Pathum Nissanka played a resilient innings of 68 after surviving three chances. In the crucial final moments, Wanindu Hasaranga smashed a six off a free hit to seal victory, as Sri Lanka overcame the scare to defeat Hong Kong.
In the Group B match on Monday, Charith Asalanka’s side won by four wickets, chasing down Hong Kong’s 149 with seven balls to spare.
At the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Hong Kong batted first after losing the toss and started well. Zishan Ali found the boundary from both inside and outside edges, while fellow opener Anshuman Rath batted cautiously.
In the fifth over, Dushmantha Chameera broke the 41-run opening partnership by dismissing Zishan. Leg-spinner Hasaranga quickly removed captain Babar Hayat.
Rath and Nizakat Khan then pulled Hong Kong back with a 61-run third-wicket stand off 43 balls. Chameera broke the partnership by dismissing Rath, who had scored a slow 48 off 46 balls with four fours.
Nizakat, aided by some luck, took his team close to 150. He remained unbeaten on 52 from 38 balls with two sixes and four fours.
This was Nizakat’s twelfth T20I fifty and his first against a full-member nation. It is only the second fifty by any Hong Kong batter in the Asia Cup.
Chameera was Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler with figures of 2/29 in 4 overs.
Chasing the target, Sri Lanka lost Kusal Mendis early. He fell for 29, caught off a short ball after hitting two fours. Kamal Mishara provided some support to Nissanka before getting out. After 10 overs, Sri Lanka had lost two wickets for 65 runs.
Nissanka survived a chance off Ehsan Khan in the eleventh over on 40 runs, missing a return catch, and went on to take charge. In the 14th over, he survived again after Nizakat dropped an easy catch and also gave him a boundary. In the 15th over, Nissanka got yet another reprieve from Ehsan, marking the 11th dropped catch by Hong Kong fielders in this Asia Cup.
Nissanka was finally run out in the next over, finishing 68 from 44 balls with two sixes and six fours. Kusal Perera was dismissed LBW to Yasim Murtaza’s second delivery.
Charith Asalanka’s six off Ehsan Khan brought hope for Hong Kong, but a subsequent wicket of Kamindu Mendis increased Sri Lanka’s control. From 119/2, the former champions reached 127/6, with pressure rising.
Murtaza tried to exert pressure with a ‘no ball’, but Hasaranga smashed a six off the free hit to stabilize the chase. He then guided the team to victory alongside Dasun Shanaka, remaining unbeaten on 20 from 9 balls with one six and two fours.
Nissanka, who survived three close calls, was awarded Player of the Match for his match-winning fifty.
With this second consecutive win, Sri Lanka tops the group with four points (1.546). Afghanistan, with two points from a 94-run win over Hong Kong, are second (4.700). Bangladesh are third with two points from one win (-2.151), while Hong Kong exit the tournament winless after three matches.
Brief Score
- Hong Kong: 149/4 in 20 overs (Zishan 23, Rath 48, Babar 4, Nizakat 52*, Murtaza 5, Ijaz 4*; Thusara 4-0-36-0, Chameera 4-0-29-2, Thikshana 4-0-22-0, Hasaranga 4-0-27-1, Asalanka 3-0-22-0, Shana 1-0-5-1)
- Sri Lanka: 153/6 in 18.5 overs (Nissanka 68, Kusal Mendis 11, Mishara 19, Kusal Perera 20, Shanaka 6*, Asalanka 2, Kamindu Mendis 5, Hasaranga 20*; Murtaza 4-0-37-2, Shukla 3-0-30-1, Atik 2.5-1-18-0, Ehsan 4-0-25-1, Kinchit 2-0-15-0, Ijaz 3-0-27-1)
Result: Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets
Player of the Match: Pathum Nissanka
