Dasun Shanaka’s unbeaten 64 from 37 deliveries rescued Sri Lanka from a mid-innings wobble and set Bangladesh 169 for victory on a Dubai surface that has rarely encouraged stroke-play.
After Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka rattled up 44 in four overs, Mustafizur Rahman (3 for 20) and off-spinner Mahedi Hasan (2 for 25) dragged the scoring rate back with eight tight overs through the middle. Mustafizur’s 19th over cost only five runs and produced three wickets, including two in two balls, yet Sri Lanka still finished on what Shanaka later called “a score we can defend if we hit our lengths”.
Shanaka rode his luck. On 38 he offered a straightforward chance to Litton Das at deep mid-wicket – shelled. Earlier, Mustafizur opted not to charge in from fine leg when Perera skied one on 11; the opener added five more before holing out. Charith Asalanka, dropped twice by Towhid Hridoy, managed 21 before a sharp run-out ended the reprieve. “Those misses always hurt,” Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha admitted to television afterwards. “But credit to Shanaka – he punished every error.”
The left-arm pace of Mustafizur posed consistent problems, cutters gripping and ducking under the lights. “I just tried to hit the seam and vary the pace,” he told the host broadcaster. Mahedi’s flat trajectory complemented him nicely, forcing Sri Lanka to take risks square of the wicket.
Even so, Shanaka kept his shape. He launched two crisp sixes over long-on and threaded five fours either side of the wicket, accelerating from 30 off 25 to a 30-ball half-century. “Once I was in, I backed my power,” he said. “Anything above 160 gives our bowlers something to work with.”
Sri Lanka will feel they have reached par on a ground where the average first-innings total this week sits at 155. Bangladesh, chasing 169, are unlikely to be intimidated. The pitch remains true, and Mohammad Naim, in good touch, has already spoken of “staying calm and taking it deep”.
Key numbers
• Sri Lanka 168 for 7 (20 overs): Shanaka 64*, Perera 16; Mustafizur 3-20, Mahedi 2-25
• Powerplay: 53-0; next 10 overs: 70-4; last four overs: 45-3
• Dropped catches: Perera 11, Shanaka 38, Asalanka 16 & 19
With the ball gripping and dew yet to settle, the match remains finely balanced. As analyst Russell Arnold summed up on commentary, “One decent partnership either way could decide this.”
