Sri Lanka secured a nervy four-wicket victory against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup 2025 at Dubai, but captain Charith Asalanka was far from pleased. Despite sealing their place in the Super 4s, he admitted that mistakes with the new ball and a costly batting slump nearly put the team under pressure.
Skipper highlights weak areas
At the post-match ceremony, Asalanka admitted, “The heart was in the mouth (at the end). Disappointed about a few things. First three overs in the bowling. Then, with the bat, in the 16th over, we lost a few wickets, including mine. Consistently, these things can’t happen even in the shorter formats. We are professionals, and we have to do much better. Credit to them, they batted well. There is pressure playing against every side.”
The result pushed Sri Lanka to the top of Group B with two wins in as many outings, while Hong Kong exited the tournament after three straight defeats.
Nissanka steady, Hasaranga provides late spark
Opener Pathum Nissanka anchored the chase with yet another composed half-century, which earned him the Player of the Match award. “It was not an easy pitch. Hong Kong bowled well. Happy with the way am batting,” Nissanka said after the game.
The innings, however, wobbled badly when Sri Lanka crashed from 119/2 to 127/6 inside two overs. Wanindu Hasaranga’s aggressive cameo and skipper Dasun Shanaka’s calm hand finally carried the side home with seven deliveries to spare.
Earlier, Hong Kong posted 149/4 after being asked to bat, with Nizakat Khan’s fluent fifty and Anshuman Rath’s valuable support guiding them to a competitive score.
Hong Kong proud despite defeat
Hong Kong captain Yasim Murtaza praised his side’s fighting spirit, even though dropped chances cost them dearly. “To be honest, I am proud of the way the boys stood up today. We missed a few chances. In the end, the way they fought was good. We were looking for 150-160. We dropped a few catches, and that cost us the game. The positive thing is to be playing on the big stage. Dream come true. Once we go back, we will work on a few things,” he said.
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