Sri Lanka fire Bangladesh into Asia Cup Super Four

Bangladesh are through to the Super Four of the Asia Cup thanks to Sri Lanka, who handed Afghanistan a six-wicket defeat in the final match of Group B in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Kusal Mendis struck an unbeaten 74 off 52 balls and Kamindu Mendis chipped in with an unbeaten 13-ball 26 as Sri Lanka cruised to 171-4 in 18.4 overs in response to Afghanistan's 169-8.

With the win, Sri Lanka qualified as Group B winners with three wins in as many matches, while the Tigers made it through as runners-up with two wins over Hong Kong and Afghanistan, respectively.

Afghanistan finished third in the four-team group with a sole win over fourth-placed Hong Kong.

The Afghans, in a must-win game, had lost their way early on after choosing to bat, hobbling to 120-7 after 18 overs.

But the experienced Mohammad Nabi then shifted the momentum, first scoring 17 runs off Dushmantha Chameera in the penultimate over before taking apart Dunith Wellalage in the 20th, hitting the left-arm spinner for five sixes in an over that went for 32 runs.

Nabi was run out in the last ball but his 22-ball 60 gave the Afghans the edge at the halfway mark.

Set a steep 170-run target against a very good attack, the Lankans were unfazed as they expertly navigated the chase with opener Mendis leading the way.

The two Mendis formed an unbroken 52-run stand off 23 balls as Sri Lanka completed the highest successful chase so far in the tournament with relative ease.

With the result, the line-up of the Super Four is also confirmed as earlier India and Pakistan had qualified from Group A.

The Super Four phase will begin on Saturday with a showdown between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Dubai.