Pathum Nissanka hit a composed 44-ball 68 while Wanindu Hasaranga slammed a late cameo of 20 not out off just nine balls to guide Sri Lanka to a nervy four-wicket win over Hong Kong in their Asia Cup Group B clash at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Chasing 150, Sri Lanka were on track to chase the total easily, thanks to Nissanka getting some pristine timing on his shots. Though Hong Kong bounced back by causing a meltdown of Sri Lanka’s middle order, their batting depth ensured they got over the line with seven balls to spare in what was also the tournament’s first thriller game.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, will rue missed opportunities – six dropped catches and a costly no-ball from skipper Yazir Murtaza in the 18th over proved to be decisive. They had Sri Lanka under pressure and could have scripted a memorable upset, but instead ended their campaign with numerous ‘what-if’ thoughts.
Sri Lanka began their chase with the in-form opener Nissanka hitting a confident four over mid-on off Murtaza, before surviving an lbw appeal off Ayush Shukla on review. Sri Lanka got a momentum boost in the fourth over, when Nissanka launched Shukla for a six while Kusal Mendis hit two leg-side boundaries.
But Mendis, looking to accelerate further, miscued a pull off a short ball and was caught at deep square leg off Shukla, as Sri Lanka ended power-play at 35/1. Kamil Mishara broke free with a towering six off Murtaza, before taking a crisp boundary through cover off Kinchit Shah.
But Hong Kong’s slower short ball trap worked when Mishara pulled to deep mid-wicket off Aizaz Khan. Nissanka ensured Sri Lanka kept moving by thundering boundaries off Aizaz and Ehsan Khan to bring up his fifty in 35 balls.
Even as Kusal Perera got two reprieves off Shukla in the 14th over, Nissanka split the gap twice in the leg-side to pick consecutive boundaries. After Perera smacked Aizaz over his head for four, Nissanka brought out a scintillating flick over short fine leg to pick another boundary.
Anshuman Rath dropping Nissanka’s catch at deep mid-wicket and conceding a boundary, followed by Ehsan giving the batter another reprieve summed up Hong Kong’s sloppy fielding show. But out of nowhere, Hong Kong bounced back — Nissanka was run out and Perera was trapped lbw by Murtaza.
The slide continued as Charith Asalanka slashed to short third man off Ehsan while Kamindu Mendis holed out to deep mid-wicket off Murtaza. But Hasaranga had other ideas under immense pressure – smashing Murtaza for six (on a free hit) and four, before lofting and drilling Ateeq Iqbal for consecutive boundaries to help Sri Lanka survive Hong Kong scare with a clutch cameo.
Earlier, Nizakat Khan’s unbeaten 52 off 38 balls powered Hong Kong to 149/4. Nizakat used his feet well, and capitalised on pace from the Sri Lankan bowlers to hit just the second fifty by a Hong Kong batter in the tournament’s history after Babar Hayat. He also shared a crucial 61-run stand with Anshuman Rath, who hit a 46-ball 48.
Hong Kong had luck on their side when Zeeshan Ali and Rath hit three boundaries between themselves in the first three overs. Zeeshan was more luckier of the two – surviving an lbw appeal off Nuwan Thushara and later being dropped at backward point off the pacer.
But Zeeshan’s brisk cameo ended in the fifth over as he top-edged to Mendis off Dushmantha Chameera and fell for 23 off 17 balls. After Hong Kong ended power-play at 41/2, Rath welcomed Hasaranga with a pulled four.
But with Hasaranga and Theekshana stifling the run-flow, Hayat tried breaking the shackles with a loft down the ground, but was stumped off the former. After the halfway mark, Nizakat launched Hasaranga over long-on for six, before he and Rath took a four each off Asalanka.
Nizakat continued to impress by opening his bat face late to slice behind square off Thushara for four, before cutting Theekshana through point for another boundary. After Rath drove Hasaranga through extra cover for four, Nizakat made room to loft through mid-off for another boundary.
But Rath fell two runs short of his fifty when he holed out to deep mid-wicket off Chameera and was followed by Murtaza picking deep backward point to perfection off Dasun Shanaka. Nizakat, dropped on the third ball of the 17th over by Mendis, was then caught brilliantly by Perera at fine third man, only for the dismissal to be overturned after replays showed Thushara had overstepped.
Undeterred, Nizakat led from the front by launching Chameera for a towering six down the ground and brought up his fifty off 36 balls with a sliced brace off Theekshana to ensure Hong Kong finished with a respectable total, which wasn’t enough at the end to keep Sri Lanka at bay.
Brief Scores: Hong Kong 149/4 (Nizakat Khan 52 not out, Anshuman Rath 48; Dushmantha Chameera 2-29, Dasun Shanaka 1-5) lost to Sri Lanka 153/6 in 18.5 overs (Pathum Nissanka 68, Wanindu Hasaranga 20 not out; Yasim Murtaza 2-37, Ehsan Khan 1-25) by four wickets
