Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup: Sri Lanka Win Battle Of Nerves Against Bangladesh To Enter Super 4

Tail-ender Asitha Fernando showed exceptional composure under pressure to hit two match-defining boundaries that took Sri Lanka to the Super 4 of the Asia Cup with a thrilling two-wicket victory over bitter rivals Bangladesh here on Thursday. Chasing a target of 184, Sri Lanka won with an anti-climax reserved for the final over when off-spinner Mahedi Hasan overstepped while bowling the third delivery. While Kusal Mendis (60 off 37 balls) and skipper Dasun Shanaka (45 off 33 balls) set up the victory, it wouldn't have been possible without Fernando's brilliant temperament.

Debutant Fernando first hit the last ball of the 19th over by Ebadot Hossain (3/51 in 4 overs) for a boundary to bring the equation down to eight runs in one over.

With Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan having already exhausted Mustafizur Rahaman's quota of overs, he had no option but to give inexperienced Mahedi the ball and Fernando slog swept his second delivery to seal the fate of the game, which could have otherwise belonged to Ebadot.

To rub it in, the Sri Lankans did the 'Nagin Dance' patented by the Bangladeshi cricketers as the pre-match build-up has been anything but sober.

Ebadot, the sprightly speedster, who also happens to be a Bangladesh Air Force man, bowled a good first spell of two overs in which he bowled three short balls that accounted for three Lankan batters.

His pace bowling partner Taskin Ahmed also used the bumper to get rid of the fourth Sri Lankan batter in Bhanuka Rakapaksa.

Incidentally, Sri Lankan skipper Shanaka had declared that Bangladesh only had two world class bowlers in opposition skipper Shakib Al Hasan and cutter-master Mustafizur Rahaman, something that 'Tigers' manager Khaled Mahmud Sujon had taken an exception