MUSCAT: Sri Lanka A advanced to the semi-finals of the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup following a commanding victory over Afghanistan A from Group A, securing a 19-run win at the Oman Cricket Academy ground on Tuesday evening.
In the concluding match of the group stage, Bangladesh, tasked with chasing a target of 162 to secure victory, were limited to a score of 142/7.
This triumph not only clinched Sri Lanka’s top position in the group but also positioned them to face the second-placed team from Group B in the semi-finals scheduled for Friday.
India A has already secured a berth in the semi-finals from Group A, with a victory over the hosts Oman on Wednesday further solidifying their position at the top.
The outcome of the morning match on Wednesday between Pakistan A and the UAE will determine which team will face Sri Lanka A in the semi-finals. Afghanistan A will then play against the winner of Group B.
In the match, Bangladesh's opening batsmen – Saif Hassan (29 runs out) and Parvez Hossain Emon (24 runs) – initiated the chase with a brisk start, scoring 41 runs in just 3.4 overs. However, an injury to Hassan forced Bangladesh into a precarious position at 59/1.
Sri Lanka’s Dushan Hemantha’s three-wicket performance set the stage for a collapse in the middle order as their opponents struggled at 103/6.
Abu Hider’s solitary aggressive knock of 38, which included three sixes, was insufficient as Bangladesh required 23 runs from the final over, managing only 142/7.
In the preliminary matches, Sri Lanka A built a competitive total, riding on Pavan Rathnayake’s impressive 26-ball 42 and Sahan Arachchige’s 30 runs in the first five overs. Openers Yashoda Lanka (23 runs) and Lahiru Udara (35 runs) put on a solid partnership, contributing to Sri Lanka’s score of 161/7.
Brief Summary: Sri Lanka A secured a commanding victory over Bangladesh A with a score of 161/7 (Yashoda Lanka 23, Lahiru Udara 35, Sahan Arachchige 30, Pavan Rathnayake 42; Ripon Mondol 2/36, Rejaur Rahman Raja 2/35). Bangladesh A, on the other hand, managed a score of 142/7 (Said Hassan 29 runs out, Parvez Hossain Emon 24, Abu Hider 38 not out; Dushan Hemantha 3/23).
