Sri Lanka’s Super Four campaign in the Asia Cup took a stumble in Dubai on Saturday night when they fell to a four-wicket defeat against Bangladesh. The result has left the defending champions under pressure, with matches against Pakistan and India looming large.

Former captain Dasun Shanaka, however, provided a reminder of his enduring value to the side with an unbeaten 64 that hauled Sri Lanka to 168 in their 20 overs. Speaking after the game, Shanaka admitted the team had left runs on the field, and that proved decisive in the end.“We had the momentum going, but once Charith got out, we lost some of it. Especially at the finish, we couldn’t capitalise in the last couple of overs. We were expecting around 180, but unfortunately fell short,” he said.

The all-rounder felt the Dubai surface played truer than many had anticipated. “I’ve played here quite a lot, and I expected it to stay the same. It was a good wicket. Nothing really went wrong — we were just 10–15 runs short, that’s all.”
That shortfall was brutally exposed by Bangladesh, whose chase was anchored with composure. Shanaka praised the impact of Mustafizur Rahman, who bowled with control at the death. “He’s a class act — playing in the IPL, playing for his country for nearly a decade, he brings a lot of experience. Credit to him, nothing to worry about,” Shanaka observed.

Yet beyond the immediate defeat, Shanaka pointed towards a structural issue Sri Lanka have wrestled with for years: their bowling combination. “ Having five proper bowlers is vital, especially when defending totals,” he noted.
For all that, Sri Lanka had initially targeted 160, only to raise their sights to 180 once the innings developed. Two tight overs at the death scuppered those ambitions. “I couldn’t find a boundary even in the 19th over. Wanindu was also caught at the rope. Two boundaries would’ve taken us close to 180. Still, I believe 168 was defendable,” Shanaka said.

Batting higher up the order at No. 5, Shanaka acknowledged that team management wanted him to make a greater impact in the middle overs. “They gave me the confidence to bat higher. If I can create an impact from that position, it makes a difference. I think I played a good innings today, though I couldn’t finish it off. But yes, when we’re setting a big total, using me higher up can be very important.”Reflecting on the bowling effort, Shanaka admitted execution was the key factor. “In previous games, Nuwan Thushara and Chameera bowled hard into the pitch, but today they couldn’t quite hit the right areas. I always say that if we can get an early wicket with the new ball, it helps the spinners a lot. We didn’t manage that, and the opposition played well. Small mistakes cost us. On a pitch like this, experienced players cash in.”Despite the setback, Shanaka urged calm. “If we can win the two upcoming games in India with a strong run rate, we can make the final. With the team and experience we have, we shouldn’t be disheartened. We can bounce back.”