Sri Lanka all-rounder Dasun Shanaka has acknowledged that his side will have the backing of Bangladeshi fans when they face Afghanistan on Thursday in the final Group B fixture of the Asia Cup.
The match will decide which two teams advance to the Super Four from the group. A Sri Lanka victory would see them progress alongside Bangladesh, while an Afghan win would put Rashid Khan’s side through and leave both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh relying on net run-rate calculations.
“Every game is a big game for us, and every day is important when we step onto the field,” Shanaka said at the pre-match press conference. “Yes, Bangladeshi fans are waiting for us to win, but our goal is victory.”
Stressing the importance of the contest, Shanaka added:
“We have to beat Afghanistan because they are a very good, high-quality team. It’s important for us to move forward by beating them.”
The Sri Lankan all-rounder recognised Afghanistan’s strength in spin, particularly Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Mohammad Ghazanfar, and admitted the match could hinge on how both teams handle slow bowling.
“Yes, absolutely, it will be a spinner’s battle,” he noted. “They have a quality attack, but we are ready. We’ve faced them many times in the UAE, so we’re prepared.”
