Pathum Nissanka's berserk knock covered for Sri Lanka's late collapse to set up a second successive win in their Asia Cup Group B encounter against Hong Kong, China on Monday. Nizakat Khan became only the second half-centurion for Hong Kong, China to register a fifty at the Asia Cup, propelling his side to a healthy 149/4, aided by an equally impressive 48 from opener Anshuman Rath. Nissanka revived Sri Lanka's chase in the middle-overs, aided by the opponents' sloppy catching, which was followed by a dramatic collapse of 4 for 8 and some death-overs jitters before Wanindu Hasaranga polished it off comfortably with seven balls to spare.
Where the match was won
Amidst all those reprieves to Nissanka, Hong Kong were marginally ahead at the end of PowerPlay, and Sri Lanka had made up for that in the middle-overs phase. However, it would have been a very different game - given what panned out in slog overs - had Hong Kong held on to any of the four chances Nissanka offered. The Sri Lanka opener lived a charmed life - dropped on 22, 40, 63 and 68 before he was finally run out following a communication breakdown. The wicket triggered a dramatic collapse, but not before the opener had done enough damage with his 44-ball 68 to give Sri Lanka the cushion.
PowerPlay
Phase Score: 42/1 at 7 RPO [3x4s]
After reviewing an early LBW call off Nuwan Thushara and getting dropped one ball later, Zeeshan Ali picked a couple of boundaries off the pacer. Even if there weren't a lot of big shots, the openers ran brilliantly between the wickets and ensured a run-rate of nearly 9 RPO before Dushmantha Chameera got Zeeshan out with a short one that climbed onto the batter and produced a simple top-edge for the keeper. The wicket pegged them back for the final PowerPlay over, but they still finished with a healthy 42/1.
Middle Overs
Phase Score: 70/1 at 7.77 RPO [6x4s | 1x6]
Anshuman Rath looked in good nick, and welcomed Wanindu Hasaranga into the attack with a four but the leggie produced a breakthrough in his second over. Having played a bunch of dots, Babar Hayat skipped down the track to take on the spinner but failed to pick up the googly. The two wickets in quick succession did result in a loss of momentum, but Rath and Nizakat quickly changed gears in the second half. Nizakat took charge, lofting Hasaranga and Asalanka to long-on for a six and four respectively. The leggie finished with a decent 1/27 but Theekshana was wayward on return, allowing Hong Kong to add 77 runs in the phase.
Death Overs
Phase Score: 37/2 at 7.4 RPO [2x4s | 1x6]
Chameera denied Rath a half-century by two runs with a slow leg-cutter that the opener pulled straight to midwicket. Thusara's day took a turn for the worse when he saw Nizakat first dropped on 33 at short third and then caught brilliantly in the same spot but off a no-ball. He brushed it off quickly, and made it an expensive final over from Chameera with a six to long-off before bringing up a 12th half-century of his T20I career in the final over of the innings, giving his side a competitive 149/4.
SRI LANKA
PowerPlay
Phase Score: 35/1 at 5.83 RPO [3x4s | 1x6]
Hong Kong brought forward that momentum and did not allow Sri Lanka's explosive openers to get away when the field was up. Barring an expensive over from Ayush Shukla, where Nissanka pulled a short-ball over the deep square-leg ropes and Kusal Mendis helped himself to two boundaries, Sri Lanka were kept in check. Shukla may have leaked 15 runs there, but he also dismissed the latter to get on the board. In the PowerPlay comparison, Sri Lanka were actually behind at 35/1 from first-six.
Middle Overs
Phase Score: 83/1 at 9.22 RPO [7x4s | 3x6s]
Once he got his eye in, Kamil Mishara began freeing his arms - a six off the HK skipper, followed by drive through extra cover for four. Aizaz Khan nipped that threat in the bud with a slower short ball to end his cameo at 19 off 18. At halfway mark, Sri Lanka were only 65/2. Then began the generous offerings to the unbeaten opener, who cashed in and eventually Hong Kong had to pay a heavy price. Shukla, Aizaz and Ehsan Khan all copped severe punishment as Nissanka turned it around with his fearless stroke-play all over the park. En route was a 35-ball fifty - the 18th of his T20I career.
Death Overs
Phase Score: 35/4 at 9.13 RPO [3x4s | 1x6]
Nissanka looked all set to wrap this up in a jiffy, but Hong Kong wouldn't go down without a fight. The slog overs started with Sri Lanka needing 32 more, but for the next eight runs they lost four of the middle-order batters. Nissanka's luck finally ran out when he was found short despite a desperate dive to sneak a second run. Kusal Perera was trapped LBW the very next ball, and Sri Lanka suddenly had two new batters trying to avoid a slip-up. However, both of them lasted five balls each. Hasaranga eased the nerves with six off a free-hit and closed out the chase with back to back boundaries off Ateeq Iqbal in the penultimate over.
Brief scores: Hong Kong China 149/4 in 20 overs (Nizakat Khan 52*, Anshuman Rath 48; Dushmantha Chameera 2-29, Wanindu Hasaranga 1-27)lost to Sri Lanka 153/6 in 18.5 overs (Pathum Nissanka 68, Wanindu Hasaranga 20*; Yasim Murtaza 2-37) by 4 wickets