Bangladesh need 175 to win first-ever T20 series against Sri Lanka
Opener Kusal Mendis played a brilliant knock of 86 as Sri Lanka set Bangladesh 175 runs to win the decider of three-match T20 series in Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss for the third time on the trot and asked the visitors to bat.
Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh the first breakthrough in the fourth over when Sri Lanka was at 18. Dhananjaya de Silva holed out in midwicket to Soumya Sarkar scoring 12-ball 8.
Sri Lanka scored 41 for 1 in the powerplay.
Kamindu Mendis top edged a Rishad Hossain delivery as Shoriful took a nice catch in the long on in the eighth over leaving Sri Lanka at 54 for 2.
Wanindu Hasaranga joined Kusal Mendis in the third wicket. Mendis picked his second fifth in the series in 35 balls but got dropped in backward point immediately afterwards. Mahmdullah Riyad dropped a tough catch from a delivery by Soumya Sarker.
Mustafiz, who conceded 18 runs in the tenth over, broke the third wicket partnership removing Hasaranga. This partnership brought 59 runs off 31 balls.
Shoriful got Asalanka but Mendis was still dealing with a flurry of boundaries threatening the hosts to post a challenging total on the board.
As Bangladesh were desperately trying to get rid of well set Kusal Mendis with death over approaching, Taskin was the man to bring it again. Kusal Mendis holed out a bouncer and Soumya took an easy catch at midwicket.
Kusal Mendis departed only after scoring 86 off 55 balls with the help of 6 boundaries and equal number of over boundaries.
In the next over, Rishad Hossain removed experienced campaigner Angelo Mathews after he played a 7-ball 10.
Dasun Shanaka and Sadeera Samarawickrama added 22 runs from 13 balls in the seventh wicket partnership to take their team to 174 in 20 overs.
Shanaka was run out on the last ball after 8-ball 18, thanks to an excellent behind-the-back flick from wicketkeeper Liton Das.
Sri Lanka won the first match and Bangladesh the next, making the third match the decider in the series. Bangladesh have never won a T20 series against Sri Lanka.