Nissanka & Mishara Fire Up Sri Lanka as Bowlers Run Riot in NRR-Boosting Thrashing of Bangladesh

If you were looking for a nail-biter in their Asia Cup clash, you’d be a little disappointed – but what a statement Sri Lanka made! It was obvious right from the first ball that the islanders were not here to play – they were here to dominate, to destroy, and to do it quickly. And boy did they with Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara finding their rhythm, and a lethal bowling attack up front. Sri Lanka got two important points and significantly improved their net run rate. Bangladesh will be in disarray trying to recover from an early stumble.

Sri Lanka’s Bowling Blitz: Setting the Tone Early

It started with the new ball. Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera cast Bangladesh into disarray, recording back-to-back wicket maidens to send the Tigers reeling at 0 for 2 and just two overs into their innings. Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon were gone, and neither could find any kind of rhythm against a pitch which seemed to be slightly two-paced. Even Litton Das, who has been providing some measure of steady resistance throughout the tournament, couldn’t ignite any form of revival. He was able to briefly fend off Dasun Shanaka, but once Wanindu Hasaranga returned to the attack following an injury, he dismissed Das with his signature wrong’un, sending Bangladesh into despair. In a flash, it seemed Hasaranga managed the reverse effect of an insurance policy, taking 2 wickets in succession and sending out a clear message about the control of Sri Lankan bowlers, and that runs would not be given freely.

Nissanka and Mishara: The Perfect Chase Artists

Although the bowlers were the ones who put in the hard work early on, it was Nissanka and Mishara who made the chase look like a walk in the park. Nissanka’s fluency and timing were breathtaking, and what a performance!! He reached 50 off just 34 balls and became the fastest Sri Lankan player to 2,000 T20I runs while doing it. Mishara complemented Nissanka perfectly, too, as though striking the ball through the line with controlled power was his natural, and I don’t think he was interested in taking any pace off short deliveries – everything short was hammered. Their partnership of 95 came off just 52 balls, and whilst there was a nervous moment late in the innings when Sri Lanka lost 3 for 18, the chase was always well under control.

Bangladesh’s Resistance: Too Little, Too Late

Let’s give credit where it’s due: Shamim Hossain and Jaker Ali produced a mini-rescue mission with an unbroken 86-run sixth-wicket partnership. They definitely showed a bit of fight, hit the occasional boundary, and even hit Bangladesh’s only six. This mini-inning was more about survival than dominance, and conditions didn’t allow them to really attack. It was the steady bowling from Sri Lanka that didn’t allow them to really threaten the result. By the time the partnership ended, the result was well and truly beyond Bangladesh’s capacity to win.

Sri Lanka’s emphatic win was not just worth two points; it was a statement of intent. Their bowlers put down the markers, Nissanka and Mishara executed it to perfection, and the side showed they could do both, matching struggle and swagger to win games. It is going to be a tough ask for Bangladesh to qualify for the Super Four after they lost so convincingly, but the question must be asked: can they take this loss, learn from it, and improve, or is this just the start of a rollercoaster Asia Cup?