In the Asia Cup 2025, the fifth match marked the beginning for all eight teams. Sri Lanka, in Group B, registered its first win, opening their tournament account. The match against Bangladesh saw Sri Lanka achieve a 6-wicket victory, accumulating 2 points and energizing the group stage. Despite the win, the team couldn’t claim the top spot.
The match unfolded at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium on September 13, with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka facing off. Bangladesh had previously won against Hong Kong. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera, were instrumental in limiting Bangladesh to 139 runs. Pathum Nissanka’s powerful half-century helped Sri Lanka to chase the target in 15 overs.
This win gave Sri Lanka 2 points, with three teams in Group B now having points. Afghanistan and Bangladesh also each have a win. With this victory, Sri Lanka surpassed Bangladesh in the standings, but still trails Afghanistan. The standings are determined by the Net Run Rate (NRR) of each team. Afghanistan leads with an NRR of 4.700, while Sri Lanka’s NRR is 2.595, securing second place. Bangladesh is in third with an NRR of -0.650.
Sri Lanka will play Hong Kong on September 15. A victory would increase their points and improve their NRR. While Hong Kong could upset the standings, Sri Lanka is expected to move up in the rankings.