Mahmudullah magic seals thrilling win

Middle-order batsman Mahmudullah smashed 43 in 18 balls to present Bangladesh a nail-biting two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on Friday as the Tigers reached the final of the Nidahas Trophy at the expense of the hosts amid maddening scenes.

The winners required 12 from the last over and bowler Isuru Udana hurled two bouncers in the first two deliveries. The batting side believed at least one of them could have been called a 'no ball', but the umpires remained unmoved.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan was furious, even asking his batsmen to leave the field. Thankfully for the Tigers, the team management intervened and Mahmudullah had his shot at glory.

The unfazed batsman blasted a four in the third ball of the over, took a double in the next and then fired a six over backward square leg to seal one of the team's most dramatic wins.

Chasing 160, Bangladesh lost Liton Das early, but Tamim Iqbal's 50 off 42 balls and Mushfiqur Rahim's 28 off 25 kept the Tigers in hunt for the win.

The fall of Shakib and two run outs in the space of 11 runs sent shivers down the fans' spines, but Mahmudullah showed nerves of steel to carry the team home.

It was no wonder he was the hero of the day, being judged the 'Player of the Match'.

The Tigers, who began the tournament with a loss to the same opponents, will now vie with India in Sunday's final for the title.

Put into bat first, fifties from Kusal Perera and Thisara Perera had helped Sri Lanka post 159 for 7 despite being five wickets down on 41 at the beginning of the ninth over.

Shakib opened the bowling himself and gave his team the breakthrough when he made Danushka Gunathilaka give a catch to Sabbir Rahman.

Mustafiz then removed Kusal Mendis and Dasun Shanaka in between a Upul Tharanga run out while Mehidy Hasan Miraz made sure Jeevan Mendis can make no more than three.

Kusal and Thisara then staged a heroic display, adding 97 in the sixth wicket in a remarkable fightback.

The former's 61 came in 40 balls as he hit seven fours and a six, but skipper Thisara was brutal, hammering 58 in just 37 balls with three fours and three sixes.

Rubel Hossain and Soumya Sarkar also took one wicket apiece for the Tigers.

It was a welcome win for Bangladesh, who were smarting from the pains of the worst air crash in its history just four days back. And it came on a day the nation lost one of its best talents, Manzarul Islam Rana, in 2007.

Thankfully, Mahmudullah did what he had to do, the best way a cricketer could pay tributes to the lost souls.