Asian Games: Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 63 runs to clinch men’s cricket bronze

Sri Lanka produced a strong all-round performance to defeat Bangladesh by 63 runs and secure the men’s cricket bronze medal at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday.

Sri Lanka, put into bat after losing the toss, endured a difficult start and slipped to 21/4 inside five overs as Bangladesh’s spinners extracted turn and bounce from the surface.

Sahan Arachchige and Ashen Bandara steadied the innings before Tharindu Ratnayake launched a counterattack that transformed the contest. Ratnayake smashed 65 off just 32 balls, including seven fours and five sixes, to lift Sri Lanka from trouble.

Arachchige contributed a composed 33 off 37 balls, while Ratnayake’s aggressive hitting helped Sri Lanka score 114 runs in the final 15 overs and finish on 165/9 in their 20 overs.

Ratnayake reached his half-century in only 26 balls and provided the momentum Sri Lanka needed after they had been reduced to 51/4 at the halfway stage.

Bangladesh’s chase then collapsed from the outset. Nuwan Thushara began with a wicket-maiden, dismissing Saif Hassan for a duck, before Ratnayake removed Tanzid Hasan Tamim.

Thushara struck again in the following over, trapping Litton Das with a pinpoint yorker to leave Bangladesh reeling at 18/4 after four overs.

Towhid Hridoy briefly threatened to revive the chase with 11 off six balls but fell to Ratnayake. Sri Lanka’s spinners then took control, with Vijayakanth Viyaskanth dismissing Parvez Hossain Emon and Mahedi Hasan in successive deliveries.

Wanuja Sahan added the wickets of Rishad Hossain and Yasir Ali as Bangladesh struggled to build partnerships. Yasir scored 21 off 16 balls and Rishad made 10 off five, but the resistance proved insufficient.

Nasum Ahmed top-scored with 26 off 28 balls before his dismissal in the 18th over effectively ended Bangladesh’s hopes. The innings folded for 102 in 17.3 overs.

Thushara, Ratnayake and Sahan claimed two wickets each, while Viyaskanth also took two as Sri Lanka completed a convincing bronze-medal victory.

The bronze is Sri Lanka’s third medal at the Asian Games, following Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage’s men’s javelin gold and the women’s cricket team’s silver.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 165/9 in 20 overs (Tharindu Ratnayake 65, Sahan Arachchige 33; Mahedi Hasan 2/19, Saif Hassan 2/28) beat Bangladesh 102 all out in 17.3 overs (Nasum Ahmed 26; Wanuja Sahan 2/17, Tharindu Ratnayake 2/18, Nuwan Thushara 2/18) by 63 runs.