• Sri Lanka overcame a number of hiccups to secure a four-wicket victory over minnows Hong Kong in their Asia Cup 2025 Group B clash.

  • A superb anchoring knock by opener Pathum Nissanka and a late cameo from Wanindu Hasaranga helped them get over the line.

Asia Cup 2025: Fans go gaga as Sri Lanka survive Hong Kong scare to register a four-wicket win in a thriller
Asia Cup 2025 (Image Source: X)

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In a match that proved far more challenging than anticipated, Sri Lanka overcame a number of hiccups to secure a four-wicket victory over Hong Kong in their Asia Cup 2025 Group B clash in Dubai. Chasing a target of 150, the Lankan Lions found themselves in trouble, but a superb anchoring knock by opener Pathum Nissanka and a late cameo from Wanindu Hasaranga helped them get over the line. The victory sees Sri Lanka top their group with four points, cementing their position as favourites for Super Four qualification.

Hong Kong’s batting provides a resolute challenge

Defying expectations and their previous two losses, Hong Kong’s batting lineup put up a resolute performance to post a challenging total of 149 for four. They got off to a fantastic start with openers Zeeshan Ali and Anshuman Rath combining for a 41-run partnership before the first wicket fell. While a few wickets fell in the middle overs, a key partnership between Rath and captain Nizakat Khan put them back on track. Rath played a fine knock of 48 off 46 balls before his dismissal.

The innings’ true highlight, however, was Nizakat’s unbeaten half-century, a masterful knock of 52 off 38 balls. With this score, Nizakat became only the second Hong Kong batter to record a 50-plus score in the T20 Asia Cup, a feat previously achieved only by Babar Hayat. His career tally in T20Is now stands at 2,376 runs, and this was his 12th half-century in the format.

Also WATCH: Asia Cup 2025: Kusal Mendis’ quick recovery saves the day as Babar Hayat falls short of his crease – SL vs HK

Pathum Nissanka’s anchor knock seals a hard-fought Sri Lankan win

Despite being the clear favourites, Sri Lanka’s run chase was far from straightforward, as they lost wickets at regular intervals and were forced to work hard for their win. The chase was anchored by a superb performance from opener Nissanka, who remained unfazed by the wickets tumbling around him. Nissanka’s composed knock of 78 not out was the backbone of Sri Lanka’s innings, ensuring they never fell too far behind the required rate.

A late-innings cameo from all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who hammered an unbeaten 20 off just nine balls, provided the final push needed to get them over the line with just six balls to spare. The match also saw wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis equal a significant record, matching the great Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 45 wicket-keeping dismissals in T20Is. This hard-fought victory was crucial for Sri Lanka, taking them to the top of Group B and securing their Super Four qualification.

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Also READ: Asia Cup 2025: Muhammad Waseem scripts history in T20Is, breaks Jos Buttler’s world record

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