Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup 2022: Kusal Mendis fifty, slow-over rate penalty and other talking points

Sep 2, 2022 - 02:30

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Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup 2022: Kusal Mendis fifty, slow-over rate penalty and other talking points

Bangladesh’s turbulent start to the Asia Cup 2022 campaign, with a change in coaching role, came to an early end on Friday when the 2018 runners-up lost to Sri Lanka by two wickets in a Group B encounter in Dubai.

Firstpost takes a look at all the talking points that led to two-time runners-up early departure from the tournament on Friday night.

Slow over-rate penalty haunts Bangladesh

Bangladesh should get to pat their back by putting a challenging 183 target on the board but a tactical error by the team’s captain Shakib Al Hasan cost them dearly. The side ended up taking the slow-over rate penalty threat lightly and had to defend eight runs off the final over with an extra fielder inside the 30-yard-circle.

In the Pakistan vs India game, Babar Azam was also fined for a slow over-rate but the incident happening in the first innings meant the incident was not as conclusive as Friday’s game.

Sri Lankan batting line-up shows depth

Bangladesh seemed the favourite to take the game at one stage defending a total of 184 as they picked wickets at regular intervals. Bangla bowlers forced the Islanders to play on their backfoot as Sri Lanka were 77/4 at one stage.

However, a fighting half-century from Kusal Mendis helped Sri Lanka recover. The opener couldn’t finish the job by getting out in the 14th over and the Lankan lower-order stepped up to finish the task.

This included valuable contributions from Dashun Shanaka (45 runs off 33 balls), Chamika Karunaratne (16* off 10) and Asitha Fernando (10 off 3) lower down the order. It was the latter tailender duo of Karunaratne and Fernando, who took Lankans over the phone by scoring the required eight runs off the last over in the first three deliveries bowled by Mahedi Hasan.

The damage was done in the penultimate over with 17 runs coming off it. Both Karunaratne and Fernando crucially scored a boundary each in the over.

Mendis architect of the chase

Despite the down the order cameos, Sri Lanka could have been in deep trouble if not for Mendis, who weathered the initial storm by holding on to one end as wickets fell at the other end. Mendis (60 off 37) did gave Lankans a bright start as he partnered with Pathum Nissanka (20) to add 45 runs in the powerplay.

However, Lanka lost four wickets inside 32 runs to find themselves in grave danger of elimination. Mendis then brought the Lankans’ chase back on the track by adding 54 runs for the fifth wicket with Shanaka.

Mendis shot four boundaries and three sixes during the course of his innings.