Sri Lanka Beat Bangladesh by 63 Runs to Win Asian Games 2026 Cricket Bronze

Sri Lanka secured the bronze medal in the men’s cricket event at the 2026 Asian Games after producing a remarkable recovery with the bat before bowling Bangladesh out for 102.

Sri Lanka appeared to be in serious trouble at 54/5 in the 11th over, but Tharindu Ratnayake’s counter-attacking 65 and a 93-run partnership with Sahan Arachchige lifted them to 165/9.

Bangladesh’s chase then collapsed under sustained pressure from Sri Lanka’s bowlers. They were eventually dismissed for 102 in 17.3 overs, giving Sri Lanka a 63-run victory.

Bangladesh Bowlers Dominate Sri Lanka’s Powerplay

Sri Lanka captain Sahan Arachchige opted to bat first, but Bangladesh’s bowlers immediately put the batting side under pressure.

Mahedi Hasan and Aliss Al Islam dismantled Sri Lanka’s top order, with the first four wickets falling during the Powerplay. Sri Lanka were reduced to 21/4 in the fourth over.

Ashen Bandara and Arachchige briefly steadied the innings and helped Sri Lanka move beyond 50. However, Rishad Hossain dismissed Bandara in the 11th over, leaving Sri Lanka in deep trouble at 54/5.

Ratnayake Leads Sri Lanka’s Recovery

With Sri Lanka struggling, Tharindu Ratnayake launched a stunning counter-attack alongside Arachchige.

The pair added 93 runs from just 44 balls, completely changing the complexion of the innings. Ratnayake was particularly destructive, scoring 65 off only 35 deliveries.

His innings included seven fours and five sixes, while Arachchige provided valuable support at the other end.

The partnership exploded with a 25-run over against Mustafizur Rahman before the pair took another 16 runs from Rishad Hossain.

Sri Lanka finished strongly, scoring 61 runs in the final five overs, including 21 from a single Rishad over.

Their recovery lifted Sri Lanka to 165/9, a total that ultimately proved more than enough.

Bangladesh Lose Three Early Wickets

Bangladesh’s chase quickly unravelled.

Saif Hasan, Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das were all dismissed without scoring, leaving Bangladesh at just 4/3 in the third over.

Ratnayake then struck again, dismissing Towhid Hridoy during the Powerplay as Bangladesh slipped to 18/4.

Parvez Hossain and Yasir Ali attempted to rebuild the innings and helped Bangladesh move beyond the Powerplay, but Sri Lanka continued to create pressure through disciplined bowling.

Sri Lanka Complete Another Collapse

Vijayakanth Viyaskanth broke the partnership by dismissing Parvez Hossain, triggering another dramatic collapse.

Bangladesh went from 50/5 to 72/8 in only 18 deliveries, effectively ending any realistic chance of chasing down the target.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers shared the wickets around. Ratnayake and Nuwan Thushara claimed two wickets apiece, while Viyaskanth and Wanuja Sahan also finished with two each.

Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 102 in 17.3 overs, 63 runs short of Sri Lanka’s total.

Ratnayake Stars With Bat and Ball

Ratnayake was the standout performer of the bronze-medal match.

His 65 off 35 balls rescued Sri Lanka from 54/5 and transformed what looked like a below-par total into a competitive 165/9. He then returned with the ball to claim 2/18, helping dismantle Bangladesh’s batting order.

Sri Lanka’s victory secured the bronze medal, while Bangladesh finished fourth in the men’s cricket competition.

Brief Scores

Result: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 63 runs.

Sri Lanka bowling: Nuwan Thushara 2/18, Tharindu Ratnayake 2/18, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2/26, Wanuja Sahan 2/17.

Bangladesh bowling: Mahedi Hasan 2/19, Saif Hasan 2/28.