Sri Lanka delivered a masterclass bowling performance against Bangladesh in their Asia Cup 2025 Group B encounter at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 13. After winning the toss and electing to field first, the Islanders reduced Bangladesh to 60/5 in just 11 overs through disciplined pace bowling spearheaded by Nuwan Thushara‘s exceptional opening spell.
Nuwan Thushara’s perfect delivery gets rid of Tanzid Hasan
Thushara produced a moment of bowling brilliance in the very first over that set the tone for Sri Lanka’s dominance. The 31-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler began with five consecutive dot balls that suffocated opening batter Tanzid Hasan. With mounting pressure after being unable to score off the first five deliveries, Tanzid attempted an ambitious drive on the final ball of the over but was completely bamboozled by Thushara’s skill.
The delivery was a perfect inswinging yorker that pitched on off-stump and straightened just enough to find the gap between bat and pad. Tanzid’s attempted booming drive left a massive gap for the ball to careen through and uproot the off-stump in spectacular fashion. The Bangladesh opener trudged back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers after facing six balls.
Thushara’s wicket maiden became a historic achievement as he joined an exclusive list of bowlers to claim wicket maidens in powerplay overs during Asia Cup T20 history. The delivery exemplified everything the Sri Lankan pacer had been working toward – a full inswinger with perfect line and length that completely deceived the batter.
Here’s the video:
𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐚 from Thushara 🔥
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Sri Lanka’s bowling stranglehold continues against Bangladesh
The carnage continued in the second over as Dushmantha Chameera followed Thushara’s lead with another wicket maiden. The fast bowler dismissed Parvez Hossain Emon for a duck, leaving Bangladesh shell-shocked at 0/2 after two overs. This marked only the fifth and sixth instances in Asia Cup T20 history where bowlers delivered wicket maidens in the powerplay.
By the drinks break, Sri Lanka had completely dismantled Bangladesh’s batting lineup with clinical bowling performances. Captain Litton Das offered some resistance with a fighting 28 off 26 balls including four boundaries before falling to Wanindu Hasaranga. The spinner also accounted for Mahedi Hasan (9 off 7 balls) as Bangladesh slumped to 60/5 in 11 overs.
Towhid Hridoy contributed 8 runs before being run out by a brilliant piece of fielding from Kamil Mishara. Only Jaker Ali (11 not out) and Shamim Hossain (2 not out) remained at the crease as Bangladesh struggled against Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling attack. The bowling figures reflected Sri Lanka’s dominance with Thushara claiming 1/13 in 3 overs, Chameera taking 1/3 in 2 overs, and Hasaranga picking up 2/10 in 2 overs.
This commanding bowling display highlighted Sri Lanka’s tactical brilliance in utilizing the Abu Dhabi conditions and their experience in crucial Asia Cup encounters against familiar rivals Bangladesh.
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