Sri Lanka A captain Dunith Wellalage (second right) celebrates with teammates.
Doha, Qatar: A clinical all-round display helped Sri Lanka A crush Hong Kong by seven wickets in their Asia Cup Rising Stars Group A clash at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Having chosen to field, Sri Lanka A never allowed Hong Kong to settle, with only four batsmen reaching double figures.
Off-spinner Traveen Mathew spearheaded the attack with figures of 3 for 21, while leg-spinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth picked two wickets, giving away just 11 runs.
Captain Dunith Wellalage also took two, giving away 24 runs in three overs, including the wicket of Anshy Rath, who built a 37-run stand with Shiv Mathur - Hong Kong’s best of the day.
Mathur top-scored with 26 off 23, Rath made 21, and Yasim Murtaza scored 20 off 24, offering brief resistance.
A late burst from Ehsan Khan (17 not out off 8) lifted Hong Kong to 117 for 9.
In reply, Sri Lanka A lost opener Vishen Halambage in the first over, with Yasim Murtaza taking a brilliant catch off his own bowling.
However, wicketkeeper-batsman Nishan Madushka steadied the chase with a well-composed 35 off 28 balls. Nuwanidu Fernando then took charge, hammering an unbeaten 47 from 27 deliveries, including hits to the ropes and three over it. Fernando also added an unbroken 33-run stand with Sahan Arachchige (14 not out) to complete the chase in just 13.5 overs and secure a dominant win.
Later, at the same venue, Bangladesh A made light work of Afghanistan A to stay on top of Group A, securing an eight-wicket win.
Chasing down a modest target of 79, Bangladesh completed the task in 13.3 overs.
Batting first, Afghanistan A were bundled out for 78 in 18.4 overs, with seamer Ripon Mondol (3 for 10) and left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan (3 for 7) doing most of the damage.
Only captain Darwish Abdul Rasool (27 off 28) offered some resistance for the Afgans.
Bangladesh lost two early wickets - Habibur Rahman for 10 and Jishan Alam for 12 - both claimed by spinner Allah Ghazanfar, who finished with 2 for 10. Despite the minor setback, an unbeaten 55-run partnership by Zawad Abrar (24) and Mahidul Islam Ankon (27) made sure they reached the target well in advance as Bangladesh cruised to their second win in Doha.
