Bangladesh ends Sri Lanka’s World Cup hopes

• Bangladesh beats Sri Lanka, eliminating them.
• Shakib-Shanto partnership key.
• Mathews’ timed-out, Asalanka’s century notable.

In a thrilling encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, India, Bangladesh emerged victorious over Sri Lanka by three wickets in the 38th match of the ICC World Cup 2023. This victory not only bolstered Bangladesh’s campaign in the tournament but also eliminated the Islanders from the competition.

Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, and Najmul Hossain Shanto played pivotal roles in securing their team’s second victory in the tournament. Their impressive 169-run partnership was instrumental in the Tigers’ pursuit of the 280-run target set by Sri Lanka. Bangladesh ultimately achieved this target in 41.1 overs, clinching a well-deserved win.

The presence of dew on the outfield posed a significant challenge for Sri Lanka, making it difficult for them to defend their target and hampering their ability to take wickets. In the 32nd over, Angelo Mathews managed to dismiss Shakib for 82 runs and celebrated this crucial breakthrough by gesturing towards an imaginary watch, referencing an incident from the earlier innings.

Shakib’s dismissal triggered a flurry of wickets for the Tigers, momentarily raising hopes for the Islanders. However, it was Towhid Hridoy who ultimately sealed the victory for Bangladesh.

This victory was particularly significant for Bangladesh as it marked their first-ever World Cup win over Sri Lanka, following three previous defeats against the Islanders.

Sri Lanka’s innings began with an early setback as Kusal Parera departed on the last ball of the first over, leaving the team at 5-1. Skipper Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka then tried to steady the innings, forging a 61-run partnership after the initial loss. Mendis contributed 19 runs before losing his wicket, while Nissanka fell short of his fifty, getting dismissed after scoring 41 runs by Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Sri Lanka faced another challenging phase with the team at 72-3 in 12.4 overs. However, a 63-run partnership provided some respite. In the 25th over, an unprecedented incident occurred when Angelo Mathews became the first-ever batter to be timed out in the history of cricket. Mathews was ready to take his stance when the strap of his helmet broke. While he called for a new helmet, Shakib appealed to the umpires, leading to Mathews being ruled timed out.

Despite this unfortunate event, Charith Asalanka showcased remarkable resilience, scoring a century that propelled Sri Lanka to a total of 279 runs. Asalanka’s exceptional innings featured 108 runs off 105 balls, including 11 boundaries, six fours, and five sixes. He received valuable support from Dhananjaya de Silva, who contributed 34 runs, and Maheesh Theekshana, who added 21 runs to the total.

This thrilling contest between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will undoubtedly be remembered as a significant moment in the 2023 ICC World Cup, with Bangladesh celebrating a historic victory and Sri Lanka grappling with their elimination from the tournament.

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