Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanukafeels Sri Lanka were "10-15 runs short" against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, September 20. Shanaka's unbeaten 37-ball 64 and 2/21 in 2.5 overs went in vain in the Lankans' first Super Four clash, which they lost by four wickets.
Shanaka felt that overs 17th and 19th, in which Sri Lanka scored only 11 runs and lost three wickets, dragged them back. He also shed light on the team's recalibrated target during the innings as compared
to the one they had set before the match.
"Nothing went wrong actually. It was a good match and we were 10-15 runs short. Actually, 160 was what we initially kept in mind because this was a wicket where runs could be scored. But while batting, we realised we could post around 180. However, they had two good bowling overs. In the 19th over, I think I couldn't hit a boundary. It was because they bowled well in those last two overs and that was why we were limited to 168," Shanaka was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Despite lamenting on the lack of boundaries in the death overs, Shanaka emphasised that 168 was a defendable total. He felt Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera could not quite hit their usual spots in the match.
"I think there was a difference of two boundaries. Wanindu Hasaranga got out on the line while trying for those two. So, I think if we had gotten those boundaries, we could have reached our required target but I think 168 was defendable. I think more than the fifth bowler, it was the execution. If we look at previous matches, Thushara and Chameera bowled a lot of balls hitting the wicket. In this match, I don't know, those two weren't able to hit that target (length)," he added.
The bowling duo of Thushara and Chameera certainly had an off day as they conceded 74 runs in their eight overs combined. Sri Lanka, having emerged with three wins in a row during the group-stage, faced their first loss of Asia Cup 2025. They will be up against India in their next clash on September 26 in Dubai.
