Bangladesh’s Asian Games campaign ended without a cricket medal after they lost the bronze-medal match to Sri Lanka by 63 runs on Saturday in Asian Games.
Sent in to bat, Sri Lanka recovered from 21 for four to post 165 for nine in 20 overs, with Tharindu Ratnayake’s 65 off 32 balls providing the impetus.
Bangladesh never recovered from a disastrous start to their chase and were bowled out for 102 in 17.3 overs.
Ratnayake struck seven fours and five sixes in his aggressive innings. He shared a 40-run partnership with Sahan Arachchige, who made 33, as Sri Lanka turned a difficult position into a competitive total.
Bangladesh had looked in control early on after Mehedi Hasan took two wickets and Alis Al Islam claimed another on his international debut. Sri Lanka were 21 for four after 3.5 overs.
But the momentum shifted in the second half of the innings. Ratnayake attacked the Bangladesh bowlers and Sri Lanka added 114 runs in the final 10 overs.
Mustafizur Rahman was particularly expensive, conceding 25 runs in the 14th over. Rishad Hossain, who had given away only nine runs in his first two overs, conceded 37 in his final two.
Bangladesh’s chase unravelled almost immediately. Saif Hasan was caught behind for a duck in the first over, and Tanzid Hasan followed for another duck in the next. Captain Litton Das then fell to Nuwan Thushara’s yorker, also without scoring, leaving Bangladesh at nine for three after 2.3 overs.
Towhid Hridoy offered a brief glimpse of a recovery with 11 off six balls, but he soon departed. Parvez Hossain and Mehedi then fell off successive deliveries, leaving Bangladesh 64 for six.
Yasir Ali made 21 and Parvez scored 20, but there was little resistance thereafter. Nasum Ahmed, batting at No. 9, top-scored with 26 off 28 balls and helped Bangladesh avoid an even heavier defeat.
Thushara, Ratnayake, Sahan Arachchige and one other Sri Lankan bowler took two wickets each.
The defeat left Bangladesh without a cricket medal at the Asian Games for the first time. The men’s and women’s teams had both previously won medals in the event.
Bangladesh’s only medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games so far has come in wushu, where they won bronze.