The Asia Cup 2025 saw Sri Lanka begin its campaign with a successful outing in Group B. The team clinched a victory in their inaugural match, setting off a series of matches. Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by 6 wickets, securing 2 points and making the group stage interesting. However, the win didn’t immediately secure the top position in the group.
The match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh took place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 13. Bangladesh had already competed, defeating Hong Kong. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera, were pivotal in restricting Bangladesh to 139 runs. Pathum Nissanka’s quick half-century aided Sri Lanka in reaching the target in 15 overs.
The win gave Sri Lanka two points, and three out of the four teams in Group B have now scored points. Afghanistan and Bangladesh have also won their respective matches. Sri Lanka surpassed Bangladesh due to the win, yet trails behind Afghanistan. This positioning is due to each team’s Net Run Rate (NRR). Afghanistan holds the lead with an NRR of 4.700, while Sri Lanka’s NRR is 2.595, securing them the second position. Bangladesh is in third place with an NRR of -0.650.
Sri Lanka will compete against Hong Kong on September 15. They have a chance to increase their points and enhance their NRR. While Hong Kong could cause an upset, Sri Lanka is in a strong position to lead the group.