In a disappointing display at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Sri Lanka faced elimination from the World Cup after being bowled out for 279 and subsequently losing to Bangladesh. Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram shared his frustration, stating that Sri Lanka “didn’t do justice to themselves.”
The Lankan innings saw an early setback as Kusal Perera exited in the first over. Despite a promising partnership between Pathum Nissanka and skipper Kusal Mendis, which added 61 runs for the second wicket, both players fell in consecutive overs. Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka contributed a valuable 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket, with Asalanka’s century being the sole highlight of their innings.
Akram criticized the missed opportunities, particularly questioning Samarawickrama’s dismissal.
“Sadeera was well-set at 41, was there any reason for him to get out at that point?”, Akram said.
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In the chase, Bangladesh lost their openers, but Najmul Hossain Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan’s impressive 169-run partnership secured a comfortable victory. Akram praised the Bangladesh players, emphasizing the turnaround by Shanto and Shakib, who had struggled for runs earlier but delivered when it mattered.
Despite Bangladesh’s prior elimination from the World Cup, a victory for Sri Lanka could have preserved their slim chances. However, the loss officially eliminated Sri Lanka from the competition. Their last World Cup match against New Zealand is now a mere formality for them but holds significant importance for the Kiwis, who are competing for a semifinal berth. Afghanistan and Pakistan are also in contention for the spot, with only one team capable of securing it.