B'desh shock Lanka; eliminate India from Asia Cup

After stunning India last Friday, hosts Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka to enter tomorrow's Asia Cup final vs Pakistan

After stunning India last Friday, hosts Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka to enter tomorrow's Asia Cup final vs Pakistan

Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in the last league match in Dhaka yesterday to go through to the Asia Cup final. Tamim Iqbal (59) and Shakib Al Hasan (56) hit impressive half-centuries as Bangladesh achieved the rain revised target of 212 with 17 balls to spare in the day-night match.


Braveherts: Bangladesh hero Nazmul Hossain celebrates with his
teammates after starring in the win against Lanka yesterday. Pic/AFP

Bangladesh will meet Pakistan in the final tomorrow. Pakistan topped the league with nine points from three matches, followed by Bangladesh (eight points), India (eight points) and Sri Lanka (0 points). The hosts made it to the final as they beat India in the league match.

Awesome Hossain
Earlier, fast bowler Nazmul Hossain grabbed three early wickets as Bangladesh restricted Sri Lanka to 232. Nazmul rocked Sri Lanka in his sharp six-over opening spell, removing skipper Mahela Jayawardene (5), Tillakaratne Dilshan (19) and Kumar Sangakkara (6) to send the tourists reeling at 32-3.

Chamara Kapugedera (62) and Lahiru Thirimanne (48) steadied the innings with an 88-run stand for the fourth wicket, but were not allowed to score freely by the Bangladeshi bowlers.

Upul Tharanga was the other main scorer, scoring a 44-ball 48 with one six and five fours.

Nazmul, playing his first match of the tournament, was superbly backed by left-arm spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak who bagged two wickets apiece.