sri lanka vs bangladesh highlights match asia cup 2023

 Sri Lanka and Bangladesh faced each other in the second match of the Asia Cup 2023, a crucial encounter for both teams in the group of death. The match was played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on August 31, 2023. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first, hoping to exploit the conditions and put pressure on the Bangladesh batsmen.

The decision proved to be a wise one, as Sri Lanka's bowlers dominated the innings and dismissed Bangladesh for a paltry 164 in 42.4 overs. The star of the show was young fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, who claimed four wickets for 32 runs in 7.4 overs and was named the player of the match. He was well supported by debutant spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who took two wickets for 19 runs in eight overs. The only resistance from Bangladesh came from Najmul Hossain Shanto, who scored a fighting 89 off 122 balls with seven fours. He was the last man out, bowled by Pathirana.

Sri Lanka's chase was not without its hiccups, as they lost three early wickets for 43 runs. Bangladesh's bowlers, led by Shakib Al Hasan, who took two wickets for 29 runs in 10 overs, tried to make a game of it. However, Sri Lanka's middle-order batsmen Charith Asalanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama steadied the ship with a 78-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Asalanka remained unbeaten on 62 off 92 balls with four fours, while Samarawickrama scored 54 off 66 balls with six fours. Sri Lanka reached their target in 39 overs with five wickets in hand and secured a vital win in their opening game.

The result meant that Sri Lanka had one foot in the Super Four stage, while Bangladesh faced a must-win game against Afghanistan. The next match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be on September 9, 2023 at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. This will be the Super Four - Match 2 of the Asia Cup, 2023.