Sri Lanka claim Asian Games bronze medal
Sri Lanka CricketNews article
The Sri Lanka men's cricket team sealed a superb 63-run win over Bangladesh this morning (03rd) to take the bronze medal at the Asian Games. Tharindu Rathnayake, who rebuilt the Sri Lankan innings from a difficult position with a rapid 65 off 32 balls and then picked up two wickets with the ball, was the standout contributor to the victory.
Having won the toss and opted to bat first, Sri Lanka ran into serious trouble straight away. At the end of the fourth over they were 21 for four, and it was the aggressive batting of captain Sahan Arachchige and Tharindu Rathnayake that breathed life back into the innings. With all four of Sri Lanka's top-order batters dismissed for single-figure scores, that partnership came as a huge relief for the side.
Arachchige first put on 33 for the fifth wicket with Ashen Bandara, and then added a brisk 93 off 46 balls with Rathnayake for the sixth wicket.
Facing 32 balls, Rathnayake made 65 with five sixes and seven fours. His assault put the Bangladesh bowlers under severe pressure, and Sri Lanka gathered 64 runs in the last five overs.
Rathnayake backed up his batting with the ball as well, taking two important wickets in the Bangladesh innings. The Bangladesh batting collapsed against the skill of the Sri Lankan bowlers, and they were bowled out for just 102 in 17.3 overs.
Nuwan Thushara made a successful start with the new ball by dismissing Saif Hassan, while Rathnayake removed Tanzid Hasan and Towhid Hridoy to pile further pressure on the Bangladesh batting.
Sri Lanka's spinners then took complete control of the match. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Wanuja Sahan and captain Sahan Arachchige picked up wickets to end Bangladesh's last hopes.
With that comfortable 63-run win, Sri Lanka claimed the bronze medal in the men's cricket event at the Asian Games.
Sri Lanka – 165/9 (20 overs) – Lasith Croospulle 02, Sineth Jayawardena 03, Sonal de Livera 06, Nuwanidu Fernando 01, Sahan Arachchige 33, Ashen Bandara 18, Tharindu Rathnayake 65, Dushan Hemantha 02, Wanuja Sahan 05*, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 06, Nuwan Thushara 02, Mehidy Hasan 19/2, Alis Al Islam 18/1, Rishad Hossain 46/1, Saif Hassan 28/2, Mustafizur Rahman 43/2.
Bangladesh – 102 (17.3 overs) – Saif Hassan 00, Tanzid Hasan 00, Litton Das 00, Parvez Hossain Emon 20, Towhid Hridoy 11, Yasir Ali 21, Mehidy Hasan 00, Rishad Hossain 10, Alis Al Islam 04, Nasum Ahmed 26, Mustafizur Rahman 03*, Nuwan Thushara 18/2, Tharindu Rathnayake 18/2, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 26/2, Wanuja Sahan 17/2, Dushan Hemantha 11/1, Sahan Arachchige 9/1.
Based on Sri Lanka Cricket reporting