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**Sri Lanka Stumbles but Survives Hong Kong Scare, Inch Closer to Asia Cup Super Fours**

**Dubai, UAE** – Defending champions Sri Lanka narrowly avoided a major upset against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup on Monday, securing a nervy victory and moving closer to a Super Fours berth. While they successfully chased down the target of 150, a mid-innings collapse of four wickets for just 13 runs sent shivers down Sri Lankan spines before all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga steadied the ship with a crucial unbeaten 20 off nine balls.

The backbone of the Sri Lankan innings was once again Pathum Nissanka, who continued his impressive T20 form with a brilliant 68. This marked his third half-century in the last five T20Is and his second consecutive in the Asia Cup.

Nissanka’s knock wasn’t just important for the win; it also cemented his place in Sri Lankan T20 history. His innings marked his 17th fifty-plus score in T20Is, surpassing the previous record held jointly by Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera. The young opener is now among a select group of batsmen with over 1000 international runs across all formats this year, surpassing England’s Harry Brook.

While the win was ultimately secured, the Sri Lankan middle-order wobble exposed vulnerabilities that they will need to address before facing tougher opponents like Afghanistan and potentially India in the Super Fours stage. The team will be hoping Nissanka can maintain his consistency and that the rest of the batting lineup can provide more stable support. Having already played and won at both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Sri Lanka will be hoping to use this experience to their advantage.

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