Bangladesh upset Sri Lanka by 4 wickets in Asia Cup Super Four opener
Saif Hassan shines with composed fifty under pressure
DUBAI – In a gripping Super Four opener of the Asia Cup 2025 at Dubai International Stadium, Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets, dealing a blow to the defending champions’ perfect run.
Sri Lanka posted 168/7 batting first, thanks largely to Dasun Shanaka’s unbeaten 64 off 37 balls. Bangladesh, in reply, chased it down in the 20 overs.
The win comes after Sri Lanka had entered the match unbeaten, while Bangladesh had scraped through to the Super Fours.
Bangladesh notch up a statement win ✌️
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 20, 2025
Led by incredible 5️⃣0️⃣s from Saif Hassan & Towhid Hridoy, ???????? channelled their inner tigers in an all-out attack on their opponents, claiming victory! ????#SLvBAN #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/ThtrWgXaZC
Match turning points
Sri Lanka’s innings was anchored by Shanaka, who accelerated in the final third of their innings. Earlier,
wickets fell at regular intervals, with Wanindu Hasaranga finishing with figures of 2/22. Bangladesh's bowlers kept applying pressure, but the Lankan middle order ensured a defendable total.
In reply, Bangladesh got off to a cautious start. Saif Hassan held one end together beautifully, scoring a well-timed fifty. His partner Towhid Hridoy played aggressively when needed, especially in the latter overs. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, including Hasaranga and Thushara, picked up occasional breakthroughs, but Bangladesh’s batters responded with calm under pressure, running hard and rotating strike well.
Key performances
- Saif Hassan’s knock stands out: a composed fifty in a tense chase on a slowing pitch.
- Mustafizur Rahman picked up crucial wickets, especially towards the death overs, helping tilt the momentum back to Bangladesh.
- Dasun Shanaka’s 64-ball masterclass looked to set the stage for a big total, but Bangladesh’s fielding and tight death bowling nullified the advantage.
Pitch conditions
The pitch in Dubai remained slow and spin-friendly, especially in the middle overs, which limited batting flurries until later in each innings. Dew was expected and may have aided Bangladesh’s chase under lights. Sri Lanka had the head-to-head edge historically, with 13 wins out of 21 T20Is between the two, but Bangladesh had been improving in recent encounters.
With this win Bangladesh gain an early advantage in the Super Fours, while Sri Lanka must regroup fast. The stakes now increase for their upcoming matches as net run-rate and early points loom large.