Mahedi Hasan shone with the ball as his four-wicket haul restricted Sri Lanka to a modest total before the batters did their job and finished the clinical chase in 16.3 overs. Mahedi Hasan playing this game in place of Mehidy Hasan Miraz dismantled the Sri Lankans and restricted them to a modest 132/7 in 20 overs.
Chasing 133 for a historic series win, Bangladesh lost Parvez Hossain Emon first ball of the chase. But they rode on Tanzid Hasan’s brilliant unbeaten 73 off 47 balls to ace the chase. He was ably supported by captain Litton Das who made 32 off 26 balls and then Towhid Hridoy who made 27* off 25 balls as the chase was done and dusted in 16.3 overs as the Tigers won their first T20I series win in Sri Lanka.
Mahedi Hasan’s 4-wicket haul dismantles Sri Lanka.Â
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Sri Lanka got quickly off the blocks with Pathum Nissanka hitting a boundary and a three off the first two balls before Kusal Mendis also joined in hitting a boundary and getting a brace. Soon, Shoriful Islam had the last laugh as he got rid of Kusal Mendis for 6 off the final ball of the over. Kusal tried to hit a fuller delivery nipping back in middle and leg as the ball pitched on the leg stump. Mendis flicked it towards deep backward square leg where Towhid Hridoy took the catch. Mendis was gone and this opened the floodgates.
Mahedi Hasan joined the party in the next over as Kusal Perera was dismissed for a golden duck. The off-spinner that turns away from the left-hander, Perera played at the ball and got the outside edge through to first slip where Tanzid Hasan took a good catch. Dinesh Chandimal came in and survived a close run out chance. Mahedi continued his wicket-taking spree as he got rid of the experienced Dinesh Chandimal for just 4 runs.
Mahedi bowled a length delivery at the fifth stump which Chandimal rocked back to pull it away. He got the top edge and ball flew to Jaker Ali at point who made no mistake, a comfortable catch for him. Sri Lanka were already 3 down for 34 in 4.3 overs. Charith Asalanka came and joined Pathum Nissanka in the middle and took Sri Lanka to 40/3 at the end of the powerplay as the Tigers were roaring with delight.
Sri Lanka never really got the momentum after this phase as this was a struggle for them. Nissanka got a boundary away off Sakib. But Mahedi Hasan was not to be denied as he now dismissed the Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka for 3 off 8 balls. Mahedi bowled on a length at off-stump and it held its line, Asalanka tried to defend inside the line and got beaten on the outside edge with the ball rattling the stumps. Sri Lanka were 49/4 with Kamindu Mendis joining Nissanka in the middle.
The duo played out the next few overs with caution with Nissanka hitting a boundary off Shamim Hossain and Rishad was also hit for a boundary. Nissanka survived a close run out shout in the 10th over as he got back in time. Eventually the duo took Sri Lanka to 66/4 in 10 overs at the halfway stage with Nissanka on 46* off 36 balls while Kamindu Mendis was on 5* off 6 balls at this stage.
Mahedi Hasan struck a major blow to Sri Lanka’s aspirations post the Drinks Break as Nissanka fell for 46 off 39 balls laced with 4 boundaries to his name. Fuller length around off-stump with the ball turning in, Nissanka lofted it straight back to the bowler’s left. The ball rebounded back to the bowler who grabs the ball with firm hands as he was quick to react and take a great catch as Sri Lanka now had lost half their side for 66 in 10.3 overs and were crumbling.
Dasun Shanaka joined Kamindu Mendis in the middle with Sri Lanka having all to do at this stage. They were forced to rebuild with Shanaka getting a boundary off Rishad Hossain. Kamindu hit a six and a boundary off Sakib to give some momentum in the innings. But against the run of play, Shamim Hossain struck as he got rid of Kamindu Mendis for 21 off 15 balls with one four and a six to his name. Fuller delivery at the leg stump, Kamindu tried for the reverse sweep and found the backward point fielder Sakib who plucked the ball out of thin air by diving to his left with firm hands and quick reflex as the Lankans were 6 down for 88 in 13.1 overs.
Jeffrey Vandersay next joined Shanaka in the middle. The duo played out the next phase cautiously with Vandersay surviving a stumping chance as well. At the end of 15 overs, Sri Lanka were 94/6 and with a lot of work to do. Shanaka hit a welcome boundary off Shoriful as Sri Lanka crawled to the 100-run mark in 15.4 overs. Shanaka survived a close caught behind appeal against him as Bangladesh burnt a review. But the Fizz had his man as he dismissed Vandersay for 7 off 14 balls at the end of the 17th over.
The variation worked for the bowler as the length delivery with pace off the ball into the pitch, Vandersay tried to sway at it by making some room. His lofted stroke was miscued and Sakib from mid-off backpeddled a bit to take the catch as the 7th one fell for 103 after the completion of 17 overs. Maheesh Theekshana joined Shanaka in the middle as the duo aimed to play out the overs as runs came in singles at the moment. At the end of 19 overs, Sri Lanka were 110/7 needing a big finish from Shanaka in the final over.
The final over was bowled by Shoriful and after Theekshana took a single off the first ball, Shanaka got into the act by hitting a boundary, six and then another boundary to give some much-needed momentum in the innings. The fifth ball of the over also went for the maximum while there was a wide bowled in between. The last ball was a dot ball as 22 runs came off this over as Sri Lanka posted a respectable but below par 132/7 in 20 overs. Just 4 extras given by the Bangladesh bowlers.
Bangladesh bowled really well and the star of the show was Mahedi Hasan who impressed one and all with exceptional figures of 4/11 in 4 overs. He was ably supported by Mustafizur Rahman who finished with 1/17 in 4 overs. Shamim Hossain bowled well for his 1/10 in 2 overs. Shoriful Islam picked up a wicket but went for 50 in his 4 overs including 22 off the final over that he bowled. Rishad Hossain was miserly despite being wicketless in his 0/20 in 4 overs. Tanzim Hasan Sakib gave away 23 runs in 2 overs for 0 wickets but picked up 2 important catches in the field. That meant a target of 133 for Bangladesh to win the match and series.
Tanzid Hasan leads the charge as Bangladesh secure a clinical win.Â
Chasing 133 for the win, Bangladesh did not get off to the best start as Parvez Hossain Emon was pinged in front first ball by Nuwan Thushara. It was a fuller length delivery swinging on the leg stump as the left-hander looked to drive down the ground but missed it on the pads. The umpire raised his finger. Emon reviewed but ball tracking showed Umpire’s Call on Hitting the Stumps which meant review was retained but Emon had to go for a golden duck.
Captain Litton Das came in and got off the mark with a delightful boundary by flicking a fuller ball towards deep midwicket. Litton was adjudged LBW by the umpire off Binura Fernando but he reversed it via DRS. He also hit a boundary off Thushara. Tanzid Hasan joined the party by hitting Maheesh Theekshana for the maximum over extra cover. Litton complimented him well by hitting a maximum off Binura Fernando over deep square leg. At the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh were off to a solid start in the chase as they were 47/1 in 6 overs.
Charith Asalanka came into the attack post powerplay and was greeted by a maximum by Tanzid Hasan as Hasan followed that up with another six two balls later. Tanzid was on a roll as he then hit Jeffrey Vandersay for the maximum in the 8th over. Kamindu Mendis came into the attack and got rid of the captain Litton Das for 32 off 26 balls laced with 2 fours and a six to his name. Fuller length delivery sliding down the leg, Litton got down on one knee and mistimed it towards deep backward square leg. Kusal Perera ran in from the deep, dived forward to take the catch inches from the ground. Bangladesh were 74/2 in 8.3 overs with Towhid Hridoy joining Tanzid Hasan in the middle.
Tanzid then hit a six and then a boundary off the first two balls off the 10th over to bring up his half century off 27 balls. At the end of 10 overs, Bangladesh were cruising at 89/2. Bangladesh consolidated their dominant position in the next few overs. They brought up their 100 in 12.1 overs as Tanzid was dropped by Theekshana off Kamindu Mendis. He added insult to injury by smashing a maximum off Kamindu to end the 13th over.
Towhid Hridoy finally joined the boundary bandwagon after settling for singles as he delicately hit a boundary off Thushara. Bangladesh had already reached 123/2 in 15 overs needing a further 10 runs off 30 balls. In the 17th over, Hridoy decided enough was enough as he smashed a maximum off Theekshana to level the scores by slog sweeping over deep square leg. The winning moment came in the third ball of that over as Hridoy punched the length delivery down to mid-on for a single as Bangladesh completed history by winning the match and a series by 2-1. Just 1 extra given by Sri Lanka.
Nothing to ride home about for Sri Lankan bowlers. A wicket to Nuwan Thushara and Kamindu Mendis. The rest went wicketless and went for a lot of runs as well. So, Bangladesh win by 8 wickets with 3.3 overs to spare. Mahedi Hasan was awarded the Player of the Match while captain Litton Das was awarded the Player of the Series.
What Lies Ahead.Â
Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka is done and dusted and Bangladesh finally win a series on this tour after losing the Test and ODI series before. The Tigers will take this confidence back home where they will host Pakistan in a 3-match T2OI series from 20th July. Sri Lanka have no scheduled cricket as of now. But they may host India in a white-ball series sometime in August. But their T20 side needs to go back to the drawing board as they have lost two matches back-to-back comprehensively.
Let’s see how things unfold for both teams going forward as they have different engagements coming their way in the next few months. Both teams with plenty of positive and plenty to ponder as well from this series.
Also Read:Â SL vs BAN: Litton Das Leads Bangladesh To A Dominant Series-Levelling Win In Dambulla