Tanzid Hasan was dismissed in the very first over of the second innings during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, September 20. The in-form Nuwan Thushara sent the Bangladesh opener back to the pavilion for a two-ball duck.

Sri Lanka batted first after Litton Das won the toss and chose to field. Dasun Shanaka played a sensational innings, scoring 64 off just 37 balls with three fours and six sixes. There were also some valuable contributions from Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Charith Asalanka to help the Sri Lanka Lions post a score of 168/7 in their 20 overs.

In response, Sri Lanka would have hoped for a strong start with the ball. Thushara, who had dismissed Tanzid for a six-ball duck in the first over of their previous Group B meeting, struck again, sending the southpaw back early.

Thushara’s Clever Bowling

While Thushara had previously bowled Tanzid with an in-swinger, he employed a well-disguised slower delivery this time to catch the 24-year-old off-guard. Tanzid advanced down the track in search of a boundary but failed to pick the off-cutter, allowing the ball to pass his bat and crash into the top of the off-stump.

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Nuwan Thushara's red hot form continues ♨️

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Currently, Bangladesh are on 159/4 in 18.4 overs and need only 6 runs from the last 8 balls to chase down Sri Lanka’s total. This narrow finish has created a fantastic end to the Super Four match, with every ball now being the most important.

This early breakthrough by Thushara put Bangladesh on the back foot right from the start, giving Sri Lanka a significant psychological advantage in the Super Four encounter.

Sri Lanka qualified for the Super Fours with a comfortable 6-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Match 11 of the Asia Cup 2025 at Abu Dhabi. Batting first, Afghanistan managed 169/8, a stunning late burst from Mohammad Nabi (60 off 22 balls), which included five sixes in an over. However, their innings was dented by an early collapse triggered by Nuwan Thushara’s fiery spell. Chasing 170, Sri Lanka built their reply around Kusal Mendis’s composed 74 off 52 balls, who anchored the innings with maturity. The Lankans eventually reached the target at 171/4 with 8 balls to spare, knocking Afghanistan out of the tournament. Below are the main reasons for Afghanistan defeat:

1. Nuwan Thushara’s incisive opening spell

Thushara (4/18) bowled an aggressive spell, taking early wickets, including Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. His control of the new ball allowed Sri Lanka to take control at the start of the chase.

2. Collapse under pressure in the middle overs

After a good beginning, Afghanistan batted poorly in the 10th to 14th overs and four of their main batsmen were out. Among the several wickets which fell was the run out of Rashid Khan. As a result of the confusion in the middle order, the match went firmly into Sri Lanka's hands.

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3. Sri Lanka’s composed chase led by Mendis

Despite pursuing a small target, Sri Lanka had the chase built around Kusal Mendis's contribution of 74, and with the rest of the middle order easing even during moments of high pressure, Sri Lanka did not let Afghanistan's hopes rise with late wickets or Nabi's explosive innings.

Afghanistan came into their last group-stage clash of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 with lots of expectation. It was a do-or-die clash for the Rashid Khan-led side, who needed to win the game to qualify for the Super 4 stage of the tournament after losing their last clash against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi. And they got what they wanted. 

Rashid Khan won the toss and decided to bat first on a surface he expected to get slow in the second innings. Moreover, the runs on the board will also be vital in a crucial encounter. They also decided to bring Mujeeb Ur Rahman into the playing eleven for the fixture. But Afghanistan couldn’t bat well at all.

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They found themselves 79/6 in 12.1 overs before Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi got a good stand of 35 runs for the seventh wicket. The expectation was to get runs off the captain, who ended with 24 runs in 23 balls. By the time he got out, they were 114/7 in 17.1 overs.

Watch: Nuwan Thusara dismisses Rashid Khan with slow yorker in Asia Cup 2025

On the opening ball of the 18th over, Nuwan Thusara went with a slower yorker at the stumps as Rashid looked to sweep the ball that drifted under his bat to hit the stumps. The batter couldn’t get a bat on the ball as the bowler started to appeal, only for the umpire to finger the stumps being broken with the slower delivery.

Rashid Khan trying to take DRS for clean bowled decision.😂
And then he will start fighting with umpires. pic.twitter.com/EPwGKKqC9G

—  شیخ مجیب الرحمٰن (@sheen_mohnyiv) September 18, 2025

Mohammed Nabi, however, smashed five successive sixes on the last over against Dunith Wellalage to celebrate the joint fastest T20I fifty for Afghanistan in 20 balls as he pushed the side to 169/8 in their allotted 20 overs of the first innings. Thusara ended with fine figures of 4/18 in four overs.

It was the third-highest total for a full-member side after losing six wickets for under 80 in a Men’s T20I game, after Australia got bundled out for 178 against South Africa in Darwin last month, and West Indies’ 170/8 vs England in Barbados three years ago.

Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Thushara was in lethal rhythm against Afghanistan during the 11th match of the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. The match is crucial for both of the teams with one target: win.

In a pressure match, where Sri Lanka walked into the field to gain another win in the group stage, Thushara picked up a brace in a single over. Promising openers of Afghanistan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal departed after a good couple of overs. After the first two overs of the first innings, Afghanistan collected 26 runs at a good pace.

To continue the momentum, Gurbaz went for a big shot on the first ball of the third over against Nuwan Thushara. Gurbaz stepped up and swung the blade only to produce a thick edge. Kusal Perera did not make any opportunity for the short third man. Gurbaz departed for 14 off 8.

Nuwan Thushara sends the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz back to the pavilion ☝️

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Two wickets in a single over for Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Thushara 

In the last ball of the third over, Sediqullah Atal misjudged the ball completely, perhaps because of the sling bowling action of the Sri Lankan pacer. The ball started to travel above the leg side and ended on the off side of the batter's end. Atal tried to push the ball on the leg side, using his wrists, but was beaten by the pace and the angle of the ball. The right-handed batter headed to the dugout for only 1 run after facing only 3 balls. 

Nuwan Thushara sends the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz back to the pavilion ☝️

Watch #SLvAFG LIVE NOW, on the Sony Sports Network TV channels & Sony LIV.#SonySportsNetwork #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/aXc8oNA6Zn

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 18, 2025

That over from Nuwan Thushara shifted the momentum of the match and soaked the confidence of the Afghanistan batters. In their previous two Asia Cup 2025 games, Sri Lanka swiftly claimed wins against Bangladesh and Hong Kong. Before the Afghanistan match, they had already secured 4 points. 

Sri Lanka chose to bowl first after winning the toss against Hong Kong in their second Asia Cup 2025 match. They were excellent in their first game against Bangladesh, with both bat and ball, and will look to keep up the same momentum today.

There’s one change in their playing XI Matheesha Pathirana has been replaced by Maheesh Theekshana. This means Sri Lanka have gone with only two fast bowlers, while Theekshana will team up with Wanindu Hasaranga to take charge of the spin attack.

The decision to rest Pathirana makes sense. The Dubai pitch is quite dry and is expected to help spinners more than pacers. Theekshana can be a match-winner on such pitches and could trouble the Hong Kong batters.

ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2025, HK vs SL, Match 8: Hong Kong vs Sri Lanka Toss update and Playing XI

Pathirana also didn’t have the best outing against Bangladesh, going wicketless and conceding 42 runs. On top of that, he has a history of injuries, so the team wants to manage his workload carefully and keep him fresh for bigger matches later in the tournament. With Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara will lead the pace attack , Sri Lanka will hope their bowlers can get the job done and keep their winning run alive.