Who felt the pressure more—Bangladesh or Sri Lanka? And whose supporters had their blood pressure soaring higher? That’s a tough one to answer. But one thing is clear: Sri Lanka’s win against Afghanistan today brought just as much joy to Bangladeshis as it did to Sri Lankans.

At the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka defeated Afghanistan by six wickets to secure their place in the Asia Cup Super Four—taking Bangladesh along with them. The match swung like a pendulum, but in the end, fortune sided with Sri Lanka. For Bangladesh, who had been nervously watching, the result turned into a lifeline.

Earlier, it looked like Sri Lanka’s chase would be straightforward. Afghanistan struggled for most of their innings despite a steady start. But then came the whirlwind—Mohammad Nabi.

By the 18th over, Afghanistan were 120 for 7, and even 150 looked out of reach. Then Nabi took charge. In Chamira’s over, he smashed 17 runs in three deliveries. But the real fireworks came in the last over from Dunith Wellalage—three consecutive sixes, followed by a no-ball, and then two more towering sixes. Nabi blasted 32 runs in that single over. His 21-ball half-century not only rescued Afghanistan but also entered the record books. At 40 years and 260 days, he became the second-oldest player to score a T20I fifty, behind Chris Gayle. Afghanistan finished on 169 for 8.

That furious finish left Bangladeshi fans on edge—because the qualification equation shifted dramatically. Sri Lanka only needed to score 101 runs to ensure Bangladesh’s elimination. Even in defeat, Sri Lanka would qualify alongside Afghanistan if they crossed that mark. But judging by Sri Lanka’s approach, they had no intention of stopping at 101.

From the first ball of their chase, Sri Lanka looked composed. Kusal Mendis anchored the innings, building partnerships with different batters. Patum Nissanka gave a brisk start, while cameos from Kamindu Mendis and others kept the momentum flowing.

The defining stand came when Kusal and Kamindu put on a quickfire 52 off just 23 balls. With eight deliveries remaining, Kusal sealed the game with back-to-back boundaries off Mujeeb ur Rahman. His roar of celebration echoed not only around Abu Dhabi but surely reached Bangladesh’s team hotel in Dubai too.

For Bangladesh, it meant relief—no complicated equations, no heartbreak. They advanced to the Super Four by finishing ahead of Afghanistan on points.

Now comes the real challenge. Bangladesh will begin their Super Four campaign against none other than Sri Lanka in Dubai on Saturday, followed by clashes against India (Sept 24) and Pakistan (Sept 25). Fans will be hoping that this time, qualification for the final doesn’t depend on mathematics.

Match Summary

Afghanistan: 169/8 in 20 overs (Nabi 60, Jadran 24, Rashid 24; Tushara 4/18, Shanaka 1/29)
Sri Lanka: 171/4 in 18.4 overs (Kusal Mendis 74*, Perera 28, Kamindu 26*; Omarzai 1/10, Nabi 1/20)
Result: Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets.
Player of the Match: Kusal Mendis