Sri Lanka put on a dominating show against Hong Kong in their Asia Cup 2018 match. That didn’t stop them from cracking 18 runs – without losing a single wicket – in just 3.2 overs! The duo of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, the opening pair, provided the ideal start as Sri Lanka certainly set the tone for a low-scoring, tensed encounter.
Pathum Nissanka would be the surprise performer, scoring 15 runs off just 10 balls. In doing so, he revealed an inherently aggressive batting style. With one four and one six, he clocked a whirlwind strike rate of 150.00. His quick-fire half-century helped lay the foundation for Sri Lanka’s innings, with their aggressive start not giving South Africa any chance to settle in.
Kusal Mendis had a miserable experience battling the conditions to get his flow. He went for only 3 runs from 10 balls with a strike rate of 30.00. His more cautious approach at the crease didn’t stop him from being effective. The alliance with Nissanka turned out to be vital in protecting Sri Lanka’s wickets early on in their innings.
This was largely due to the fact that Hong Kong’s bowlers struggled to keep the runs down. Yasim Murtaza bowled a single over which cost her 8 runs. On the other hand, Ayush Shukla bowled 1.2 overs and gave away a total of 10 runs. Ateeq Iqbal achieved an extraordinary bowling feat by getting a maiden over, an over without conceding a run. His smart, aggressive pitching put constant pressure on the hitting team.
As the match progressed, Sri Lanka’s openers continued to build their score, demonstrating resilience and strategy against Hong Kong’s bowling attack. Unbeaten at 60 without loss, they set themselves up perfectly for a big opening innings on day two.
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