Asia Cup 2025, Updated Points Table: Sri Lanka crush Afghanistan to enter Super Four; Bangladesh cruise
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Asia Cup 2025, Updated Points Table: Sri Lanka crush Afghanistan to enter Super Four; Bangladesh cruise")
Asia Cup 2025, Updated Points Table Sri Lanka crush Afghanistan to enter Super Four; Bangladesh cruise Photograph: (AFP)
While India and Pakistan have qualified from Group A, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the two teams from Group B to qualify for the Asia Cup Super Four.
Sri Lanka convincingly beat Afghanistan by six wickets in their final Group B game to qualify for the 2025 Asia Cup Super-Four stage. Despite Mohammad Nabi’s five sixes in the final over and Afghanistan posting a challenging 169/8 in 20 overs, the Lankans chased the target with ten balls remaining, finishing the group with three wins in as many contested matches. Seamer Nuwan Thusara returned with four wickets up front while keeper-batter Kusal Mendis produced a stunning show with the bat (66*) to see his team through in this continental tournament. Courtesy of Sri Lanka’s win, Bangladesh advanced to the next round; Afghanistan got knocked out of the Asia Cup.
Also read | Asia Cup: Here’s how an Indian in ICC blocked PCB’s request to remove Andy Pycroft. Who is he?
Two teams from each group have now qualified for the Super Four, with India and Pakistan from Group A advancing through. The defending Asia Cup champions India will face Oman in their final group game on Friday (Sep 19) in Abu Dhabi, with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh squaring off in the first Super Four game on Saturday (Sep 20) in Dubai.
What happened in the match?
Afghanistan opted to bat first after winning the toss. Off to a horrible start, Afghanistan lost three wickets inside the first six overs, and then three more for the score of 79. Captain Rashid Khan and veteran Mohammad Nabi did stitch a crucial stand afterwards, but it was only in the last two overs that the momentum switched towards Afghanistan.
Nabi, facing the last over, smashed five consecutive sixes, all better than the previous one, while completing his fifty inside 19 balls. Looking set to become only the third man after Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard to hit six sixes in an over in T20I, Nabi failed to pounce on the chance and got run out on the final delivery on 60 off 22 balls.
Trending Stories
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
Watch Nabi’s five sixes in one over –
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka lost two of their in-form batters, Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara, inside the Powerplay, only for Mendis and Kusal Perera to stitch a 45-run stand to keep Sri Lanka’s nose in front.
Handy contributions from the lower order ensured the Lankans are winning this match with six wickets remaining.
Updated Points Table Asia Cup
Group A
Group B
