Sri Lanka 206 for 3 (Samarawickrama 61*, Kusal Mendis 59) beat Bangladesh 203 for 8 (Jaker 68, Mahmudullah 54, Mathews 2-17) by three runs
Nonetheless, it was not performed, as Bangladesh’s No. 10 Shoriful Islam slammed his first ball over further cowl, and took a leg-bye off the penultimate ball. That left Taskin Ahmed needing to hit a 4 to tie and 6 to win, however he might handle neither. The Sri Lanka fielders began celebrating as quickly as Taskin toe-ended one other vast, full ball from Shanaka, managing only a single.
Bangladesh meek after Shoriful strikes first blow
Taskin then eliminated Kamindu Mendis within the fifth over however he had already set the ball rolling with two sixes in his 14-ball 19. Kusal Mendis, who was quiet within the powerplay, correctly acquired going within the twelfth over when he struck Rishad Hossain for 2 consecutive sixes in an 18-run over. The second of these sixes acquired him to a 28-ball half-century.
Asalanka places on a fiery present
Asalanka led that assault, belting six sixes. He struck Taskin over vast long-on earlier than pasting him over deep sq. leg within the seventeenth over. He sliced Mustafizur Rahman over deep third, earlier than hammering an analogous shot off Shoriful for a six over cover-point. He struck a wayward Mustafizur for 2 sixes within the final over too, powerfully over level, and the final one over deep sq. leg once more. Asalanka and Samarawickrama added 73 runs for the unbroken fourth-wicket stand within the final 5.2 overs.
Mathews exposes Bangladesh high order
Mathews acquired Sri Lanka two of their first three breakthroughs because the guests dominated Bangladesh within the powerplay. Litton performed an ill-advised shot – shuffling means exterior off stump after which making an attempt to flick to leg – to be caught behind within the first over. Soumya Sarkar skied Binura Fernando within the fourth over after making 12, earlier than Mathews had Towhid Hridoy caught behind for 8. The in-form Hridoy had struck an outstanding six off his first ball however lasted solely 4 balls extra.
Mahmudullah leads restoration
Mahmudullah additionally began his innings with a six however in contrast to Hridoy, he saved up the strain on the Sri Lanka bowlers. He cracked Mathews over further cowl first ball earlier than slamming Dasun Shanaka within the seventh over to carry up Bangladesh’s fifty. Mahmudullah misplaced captain Najmul Hossain Shanto alongside the way in which, however discovered newcomer Jaker keen to rotate the strike.
After Samarawickrama dropped Mahmudullah on 27, the veteran struck Matheesha Pathirana to the second tier of the japanese gallery. It turned out to be an 11-ball over from Pathirana who bowled massive wides and a few no-balls. It went for 20 runs as Jaker struck his first six of the evening too.
Jaker takes over from Mahmudullah
Avishka Fernando took a great catch on the long-on boundary to finish Mahmudullah’s innings on 54 off 31 balls. That seemed like the top of Bangladesh’s chase however Jaker selected this second to hit a better gear.
In the identical over because the wicket, he struck Maheesh Theekshana for a six over sq. leg earlier than hammering Shanaka for 2 sixes to the leg aspect within the subsequent over. He hit two extra sixes within the subsequent two overs, off Theekshana and Pathirana. The latter’s was one other 11-ball over, which went for 19, as he struggled considerably with cramp. This over was so wayward wicketkeeper Kusal was even seen standing nearly at second slip to obtain the ball, as Pathirana tried to ship down vast yorkers.
Jaker reached his maiden T20I fifty off 25 balls with a blast by the covers to finish Pathirana’s over. Mahedi Hasan timed two fours off Binura Fernando, each by vast third within the 18th over, however he fell making an attempt to hoick the identical bowler. The sixth-wicket pair had added 65 runs in 4.3 overs however Mahedi left with Bangladesh nonetheless needing 27 off the final 2.1.
Jaker takes it deep, and nearly finishes it off
Pathirana continued to be wayward in his final over, the penultimate of the innings. He conceded 15 runs together with three fours, and bowled one other no-ball. Jaker struck him by midwicket, high-quality leg and additional cowl to go away Bangladesh needing 12 off the final over. It appeared then they may pull off an incredible heist, but it surely was to not be.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
