Hong Kong showed promise, but Sri Lanka held their composure to secure a win, edging closer to a Super Fours spot in the ongoing Men’s T20 Asia Cup.
Asia Cup ,After a shaky phase where Sri Lanka lost four wickets for just 13 runs despite being in a strong position to chase 150, all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga finished the match with an unbeaten 20 off nine balls, guiding the defending champions home following Pathum Nissanka’s second consecutive fifty.
Nissanka continued his exceptional T20 form, scoring his third fifty in the last five matches and second in the ongoing Asia Cup, compiling 68 against Hong Kong in Dubai. In just over four years, the 27-year-old has become Sri Lanka’s leading T20I fifty-maker with 17 scores of 50+, surpassing veterans Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera, who have 16 each. Despite yet to score a T20I century, Nissanka has already cemented himself among the elite, equalling the likes of Dawid Malan, Quinton de Kock, and Glenn Maxwell while moving ahead of Chris Gayle and Sikandar Raza.
He is also one of only six batters to aggregate over 1,000 runs in international cricket across formats, surpassing Harry Brook and trailing behind Joe Root, Ben Duckett, and Shubman Gill. Nissanka’s consistent stability allows Sri Lanka to play aggressive players like Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, and Dasun Shanaka through the order, giving their T20 setup an edge.
Sri Lanka opened the Asia Cup with a win against Bangladesh and have now acclimated to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi venues before facing tougher opponents, including Afghanistan and potentially India, in the Super Fours stage.