Kusal Mendis stars as Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan to reach Super 4, Bangladesh qualify

Opener Kusal Mendis smashed a brilliant half-century as Sri Lanka cruised to a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan in a high-stakes Asia Cup clash at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi today, a result that also confirmed Bangladesh’s place in the Super 4.

The win meant Sri Lanka topped Group B, having won all three group matches, while Bangladesh, who had earlier beaten Hong Kong and Afghanistan, advanced as group runners-up. A win for Afghanistan would have eliminated Bangladesh from the tournament.

Mendis played a match-winning knock, scoring an unbeaten 74 off 52 balls, including 10 boundaries, as Sri Lanka chased down 170 with eight balls to spare. He was well supported by Kamindu Mendis, who smashed a quick 26 off 13 to finish the chase in style.

Earlier, Mohammad Nabi lit up the game with a stunning 60 off 22 balls, including a sensational 32 runs in the final over, after Afghanistan had slumped to 79-6 in 13 overs. His late onslaught, featuring six sixes and three fours, pushed Afghanistan to a competitive 169-8, despite a top-order collapse.

Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-18, including three wickets in the powerplay. Dushmantha Chameera, Dasun Shanaka, and Dunith Wellalage also bowled tidy spells to keep Afghanistan under pressure.

The turning point came when Wellalage dropped Nabi, who then punished Sri Lanka with a furious assault in the death overs, narrowly missing out on hitting six sixes in one over. He was run out trying for a second run after hitting five consecutive sixes off Wellalage.

Despite Nabi’s fireworks, Sri Lanka remained unfazed in the chase. Although they lost Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishra early, Mendis kept the innings steady. His 45-run third-wicket stand with Kusal Perera (28 off 20) laid the platform, and Kamindu Mendis’s late burst ensured there were no hiccups.

With this result, the Super 4 lineup is now confirmed: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The stage is set for a thrilling second phase of the tournament, with Bangladesh taking on Sri Lanka in the first Super 4 match on Saturday in Dubai.