Asalanka Admits 'Heart Was in Our Mouths' as Sri Lanka Survive Hong Kong Scare
Sri Lanka narrowly avoided a shock defeat against Hong Kong in their Men's T20 Asia Cup group-stage clash on Monday, recovering from a dramatic middle-order collapse to chase down 150 with four balls to spare. Captain Charith Asalanka admitted the tense finish left the team rattled, saying "our heart was in our mouths" during the dying stages.
Chasing a modest 150, Sri Lanka appeared to be cruising at 118 for 2 in the 15th over. But a series of poor decisions and soft dismissals saw them lose 4 wickets for just 8 runs, throwing the game wide open.
The collapse began with the run-out of Pathum Nissanka for 68 at the start of the 16th over. Kusal Perera fell next ball attempting a slog sweep. Asalanka himself was dismissed shortly after, slicing to short third man, before Kamindu Mendis holed out to deep midwicket trying to break the pressure.
With 23 needed off the final 17 balls and the lower order exposed, it took a nerveless cameo from Wanindu Hasaranga — an unbeaten 20 off 9 balls — to see Sri Lanka home.
“In that moment, I think our heart was in our mouths,” Asalanka said after the match. “There are a few areas I am really disappointed about — the first three overs when we were bowling, and then the 16th over where we lost a few quick wickets including mine.”
“In T20s, these things can happen, but they cannot keep happening consistently. We have to analyse this and improve.”
Bowling Woes and Missed Opportunities
Asalanka also criticised Sri Lanka’s lacklustre bowling at the start of the match, which allowed Hong Kong to race to 38 without loss in the opening four overs. Openers Anshy Rath and Zeeshan Ali went after the new-ball bowlers, putting Sri Lanka under early pressure.
To compound their issues, Sri Lanka missed a DRS call in the sixth over against Babar Hayat — a decision that would have been overturned had they reviewed it. Hong Kong capitalised, with Rath and Nizakat Khan putting together a 61-run stand to lift their total to a competitive 149 for 4.
“We bowled badly in the first three overs,” Asalanka admitted. “Credit goes to them — they batted really well. But this is not the way we wanted to play. We are professionals, and we have to do better than this.”
Nissanka Anchors, Then Accelerates
Despite the wobble, Sri Lanka's chase was anchored brilliantly by opener Pathum Nissanka, whose calm 68 off 49 balls was the backbone of the innings. It was his second consecutive half-century in the tournament and underlined his growth as a dependable T20 batter.
Nissanka played a controlled innings, absorbing pressure from Hong Kong’s spinners before opening up in the middle overs. Two consecutive pull shots — both placed precisely between fielders on the leg side — signaled his intent and helped Sri Lanka maintain control before the late stutter.
“Over the last two years, I’ve worked on my strike rate,” Nissanka said after the match. “I started off as a red-ball batter, but I’ve worked on becoming consistent across formats. The coach [Sanath Jayasuriya] has always backed me to play my game, and that gives me confidence.”
Super Fours Equation
With two wins from two, Sri Lanka are well-placed to qualify for the Super Fours stage. They will advance automatically if Afghanistan defeat Bangladesh on Tuesday. If Bangladesh win, the qualification scenario will come down to Thursday’s clash between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan — with net run rate likely to play a key role.
Despite the nervy win, Sri Lanka remain unbeaten and in control of their campaign, though the nature of their performance suggests plenty of room for improvement.
Match Summary:
Hong Kong 149/4 (20 overs): Rath 42, Nizakat 37; Kumara 2-30
Sri Lanka 151/6 (19.2 overs): Nissanka 68, Hasaranga 20*; Ehsan Khan 2-24
Sri Lanka won by 4 wickets
Next Match:
Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan – September 18, 2025
Venue: Dubai International Stadium