United Arab Emirates vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup Highlights: Lasith Malinga Stars in Team's Victory
A clinical Sri Lanka thrashed inexperienced United Arab Emirates by 14 runs to open their 2016 Asia Cup Twenty20 campaign with a win. Lasith Malinga was the star of the show with figures of 4/26. Catch all the highlights of the match.
Defending champions Sri lanka kicked off their campaign in style as they beat minnows United Arab Emirates by 14 runs in the 2016 Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament.
UAE who asked Lankans to bat first, restricted them to 129/8. Lasith Malinga then turned the heat on with figures of 4/26 to decimate the associate nation. Swapnil Patil tried his best to keep the team in the hunt with a fighting 37, but with wickets tumbling around him, it was difficult for UAE to match up to the class of Sri Lanka. Nuwan Kulasekara too contributed with figures of 3/10 from his four overs to stifle UAE batsmen. (SCORECARD | POINTS TABLE | NEWS)
22:20 IST: It's all over as Sri Lanka begin their 2016 Asia Cup Twenty20 campaign with a win. The defending champions restricted the ssociate nation for 115/9 in a low-scoring game in Dhaka, thus registering 14 runs win.ÂÂ
21:50 IST: It's a steady procession of wickets for UAE. The latest one being Swapnil Patil, who looked good in his brief stay in the middle. Patil was undone by a slower one as he got a leading edge, where he was caught by bowler himself. UAE are 91/7 after 17 overs.
21:20 IST: WICKET!!! Rangana Herath gets into the act now with two wickets. Herath removed Shaiman Anwar his first over for 13. Then in his second over he removed Saqlain Haider after he top-edged one to Dinesh Chandimal for 1. UAE are 47/6 after 10 overs.
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20:50 IST: WICKET!!! Sri Lankan bowlers are unplayable at the moment. Both Nuwan Kulasekara Lasith Malinga have picked up two wickets apiece. UAE are 27/4 after 6 overs.
19:50 IST: WICKET!!! What a start for Sri Lanka. Lasith Malinga strikes off the first ball of UAE innings. A pitched up delivery from Malinga trapped Rohan Mustafa for duck. Malinga then cleaned up Muhammad Shahzad for one.  UAE are 7/2 after first over.
19:35 IST: WICKET!!! That is end of first innings as United Arab Emirates restricted Sri Lanka to 129/8. Skipper Amjad Javed was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/25. Mohammad Naved complimented the skipper well with figures of 2/27. Dinesh Chandimal was the top-scorer for Sri Lanka with a 38-ball 50. Sri Lanka are 129/8 after 20 overs.
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19:20 IST: WICKET!!! It's a steady procession of wickets here as Angelo Mathews, Shehan Jayasuriya fell in quick succession to leave defending champion reeling. Sri Lanka are 115/6 after 18 overs.
19:55 IST: WICKET!!! Javed strikes picks his third wicket as he removed Chandimal for 50. Chandimal, who had completed his half-century a ball ago, hit one straight to Mohammad Shahzad to leave Sri Lanka stuttering. Sri Lanka are 92/3 after 14 overs.
19:48 IST: WICKET!!! Javed strikes again in his third over. Milinda Siriwardene looking to pull one out of the ground was caught at square leg by Saqlain Haider for six. Sri Lanka are 84/2 after 12 overs.
19:35 IST: WICKET!!! United Arab Emirates skipper Amjad Javed strikes as he removes Dilshan for 31. Dilshan tried to slog one out of the park, but hit it straight to Mumhammad Usman at midwicket. Sri Lanka are 72/1 after 10 overs.
19:30 IST: Chandimal and Dilshan have put on a 50-runs stand to build a good base for Sri Lanka. Chandimal, especially, has looked aggressive of the two openers. Sri Lanka are 65/0 after 8 overs.
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19:12 IST: Sri Lanka are off to a decent start after being asked to bat first. Both Chandimal and Dilshan have hit the boundary boards. UAE bowlers have extracted bounce from the pitch but haven't been consistent with their line. Chandimal then smashes one over the park for the first six of the match.
A slog earns him for a boundary as Sri Lanka are 31/0 after 4 overs.
19:00 IST: Surprise, Surprise! Dinesh Chandimal is walking out to the middle to open the innings with Tillakaratne Dilshan. Mohammad Naved will open the proceedings for United Arab Emirates. Sri Lanka are 1/0 after first over.
18:30 IST: The news from the middle is United Arab Emirates have won the toss and have elected to bowl first. Skipper Amjad Javed hopes the minnows can restrict the defending champions to 130.
Sri Lankan skipper Lasith Malinga meanwhile, is banking on his batsmen to come good.  ÂÂ
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Having seen the green-top in Mirpur on Wednesday, Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga will be itching to go full blast against UAE. India hammered Bangladesh by 45 runs in the 2016 Asia Cup opener and Lanka will be looking for a similar start.
UAE have looked strong so far. They have won all their three matches against Afghanistan, Oman and Hong Kong in the qualifiers. The win against the Afghans will certainly be a big boost. Should there be a conventional grassless pitch, UAE will fancy their chances. Rain could further queer the calculations.
This will be the first time Sri Lanka and UAE will be involved in a Twenty20 international. The teams have played ODIs in 2004 and 2008. Lankans are a good mix of experience and youth. Tillakaratne Dilshan, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Dinesh Chandimal and Thisara Perera are proven experts. Can UAE prevent a mismatch?