Bangladesh Stun Sri Lanka by 4 Wickets in Super-4 Thriller
Introduction: A Dramatic Upset That Shakes the Super Four
In a pulsating opener to the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four stage on September 20, 2025, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh pulled off a stunning four-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, chasing down a target of 169 in 19.5 overs to end the Islanders' unbeaten run in the tournament. Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Bangladesh's pace attack, led by Mustafizur Rahman's incisive 3 for 20, restricted Sri Lanka to 168 for 7, with Dasun Shanaka's valiant unbeaten 64 off 37 balls (six sixes) providing late fireworks. In reply, half-centuries from Saif Hassan (61 off 47) and Towhid Hridoy (58 off 37) steered Bangladesh to 169 for 6, sealing a thrilling win with 1 ball to spare. This upset, Bangladesh's first victory over Sri Lanka in four T20I meetings in the UAE, catapults them to the top of the Super Four standings with four points and a +0.45 net run rate (NRR), while Sri Lanka, with three points and +1.10 NRR, now face pressure ahead of their September 23 clash with Pakistan.
The 17th edition of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC)'s premier T20I tournament, sponsored by DP World and hosted across UAE venues from September 9 to 28, expands to eight teams for the first time—full members India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, plus associates UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. Group B's intensity saw Sri Lanka dominate with three wins (over Bangladesh by 40 runs, Hong Kong by seven wickets, and Afghanistan by six wickets), but Bangladesh's qualification—via a 10-wicket rout of Hong Kong and an eight-run thriller against Afghanistan—proved prescient. The Super Four round-robin—Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh (September 20), Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (September 23), Bangladesh vs India (September 24), Bangladesh vs Pakistan (September 25), and India vs Sri Lanka (September 26)—is a survival gauntlet, with the top two advancing to the September 28 Dubai final. On Dubai's flat track (average first innings 165, 55% chase success), dew aided Bangladesh's chase, but their composure under pressure turned the tide. This comprehensive match report, drawing from ESPNcricinfo's ball-by-ball coverage and Cricbuzz stats, unpacks the toss, key innings, turning points, standout performances, statistical highlights, and the ripple effects on the Super Four race.
The Toss and Sri Lanka's Innings: A Shanaka Special Falls Short
The pre-match formalities under Dubai's evening glare and 32°C warmth tilted Bangladesh's way, with captain Litton Das calling correctly at 6:30 PM IST and opting to bowl first. "The pitch looks good for chasing with dew later, and our pacers can exploit early swing," Das explained post-toss, his 55% success rate (11/20 T20Is) paying dividends. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka, with a 65% rate (13/20), would have preferred batting but accepted the call, knowing his spinners thrived in the middle overs.
Sri Lanka's innings began steadily but never ignited, reaching 168 for 7 in 20 overs—10 below par on a venue averaging 165 first innings. Openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera added 35 in 4.2 overs before Taskin Ahmed struck in the fifth, trapping Nissanka lbw for 18 (SR 120) with a full inswinger. Perera, aggressive from the outset, raced to 25 off 15 (three fours, one six) but holed out to deep midwicket off Mustafizur Rahman's cutter in the seventh over—52 for 2. Kusal Mendis, promoted to No. 3, steadied with 34 off 28 (two fours), adding 42 for the third wicket with Asalanka (20 off 15), but Mahedi Hasan's off-spin broke through in the 12th over, bowling Mendis with a straighter one—94 for 3.
Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis rebuilt with a 50-run stand off 35 balls, Kamindu's 28 off 18 (two fours, one six) injecting momentum. Wanindu Hasaranga's brief cameo (10 off 5) fell to Nasum Ahmed, but Dasun Shanaka's arrival sparked life. The 34-year-old all-rounder, in a vintage display, smashed 64 not out off 37 balls (six sixes, two fours, SR 173), including five maximums in the last five overs—three off Taskin, two off Mustafizur—to rescue Sri Lanka from 118 for 5 in 16 overs. Shanaka's pull for six off Taskin's full toss in the 19th over reduced the target to 169, but Mustafizur's final over—two yorkers, a slower ball—conceded just 11, finishing with 3 for 20. Shanaka's MOTM-worthy knock couldn't mask Sri Lanka's middle-order wobble (3/40 from overs 7-15), their ER 8.4 in death overs a concern.
Bangladesh's Chase: Half-Centuries and Heroics Seal the Thriller
Chasing 169 on a pitch assisting spinners early but easing under dew (30% humidity post-18 overs), Bangladesh started cautiously, reaching 35 for 1 after 5 overs—Nuwan Thushara dismissing Tanzid Hasan for 12 with a rising bouncer. Litton Das and Saif Hassan then forged a 90-run stand off 60 balls, Litton's 42 off 35 (four fours) rotating strike against Maheesh Theekshana's mysteries (ER 6.2). Hasaranga struck in the 13th over, trapping Litton lbw for 42 with a googly—125 for 2, needing 44 off 42.
Towhid Hridoy joined Hassan for a match-defining 58-run partnership off 30 balls, Hridoy's aggressive 58 off 37 (six fours, two sixes, SR 157) targeting the leg side against Dunith Wellalage. A lofted cover drive for four off Theekshana in the 16th over reduced the equation to 25 off 24, but Hasaranga's return dismissed Hassan for 61 (47 balls, SR 130, seven fours) caught at long-off—152 for 3. Shamim Hossain's arrival added fireworks: 14* off 6 (two fours) in the 19th over off Thushara, including a slash over point for four and a pull for another. Needing 2 off the last ball, Mahedi Hasan (1* off 1) edged a single to fine leg off Shanaka, sealing 169 for 6 in 19.5 overs.
Mustafizur's 3 for 20 earned Player of the Match honors, his cutters dismantling Shanaka's late surge. Litton Das, beaming post-win, said: "We believed from ball one—Saif and Towhid's partnerships won it. This is for the fans who needed our win to qualify."
Key Performances: Shanaka's Fireworks and Bangladesh's Chase Masters
Dasun Shanaka's unbeaten 64 off 37 (SR 173) was a lone warrior's effort, his six sixes—including five in the last five overs—rescuing Sri Lanka from 118 for 5. The 34-year-old's pull for six off Taskin in the 19th over evoked his 2022 T20 World Cup heroics, but it wasn't enough against Bangladesh's composure. Saif Hassan's 61 off 47 (SR 130) anchored the chase, his seven fours—three through cover—rotating with Litton. Towhid Hridoy's 58 off 37 (SR 157) was the game-changer, his sixes off Wellalage turning pressure into possibility. Mustafizur's 3 for 20 (ER 5.0) was clinical, his slower cutters baffling Shanaka.
Turning Points: From Middle-Order Mayhem to Last-Ball Drama
Sri Lanka's innings pivoted on the 16th over: Shanaka's arrival at 118 for 5 sparked 50 off 24 balls, but Mustafizur's 19th over—two yorkers conceding 11—stemmed the tide. Bangladesh's chase hinged on the 13th over: Hasaranga's lbw of Litton at 125 for 2 left 44 off 42, but Hridoy's 58-run stand with Hassan rebuilt. The 20th over's drama—Shamim's two fours off Thushara needing 2 off the last ball—was the climax, Mahedi's edged single off Shanaka clinching it.
Statistical Highlights: Numbers That Defined the Upset
Bangladesh's 169 for 6 (RR 8.55) was their highest successful Asia Cup T20 chase since 2016's 153 vs UAE. Hridoy's 58 is his third T20I fifty, Hassan's 61 his second vs Sri Lanka. Mustafizur's 3 for 20 is his best Asia Cup T20 figures, Shanaka's 64 the tournament's highest individual score. Sri Lanka's 168 for 7 (RR 8.4) marked their lowest total defending in Super Four since 2022's 137 vs India. Bangladesh's SR 130 vs spin in the chase contrasts their group 115, showcasing adaptation.
Post-Match Reflections: Litton's Joy and Asalanka's Resolve
Litton Das, jubilant captain, said: "Saif and Towhid's partnerships turned it—Mustafizur's death over was gold. This win levels our rivalry." Asalanka, gracious in defeat: "Shanaka's 64 kept us in it, but we leaked 50 in the last five. Super Four's long—Pakistan next." Mustafizur: "The slower ball worked—proud to deliver."
Super Four Implications: Bangladesh's Boost, Sri Lanka's Wake-Up
Bangladesh tops Super Four with four points (+0.45 NRR), their upset opening doors against India (September 24). Sri Lanka, with three points (+1.10 NRR), faces must-win vs Pakistan (September 23). The win ends Sri Lanka's 8-match Asia Cup T20 streak, Bangladesh's third chase win in four vs them.
Conclusion: Bangladesh's Gutsy Triumph Ignites Super Four
Bangladesh's four-wicket stun of Sri Lanka on September 20, 2025, electrifies Asia Cup Super Four with Saif and Hridoy's fifties and Mustafizur's guile. As Litton's Tigers roar, Asalanka's Islanders regroup. In this continental cauldron, the opener's thriller sets a blistering pace—Bangladesh's chance seized, Sri Lanka's fire rekindled.
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