Bangladesh rout Sri Lanka by 8 wickets, level series 1-1

Bangladesh register a comprehensive victory by 8 wickets with 11 balls to spare against Sri Lanka to level the three match T20 series 1-1 in the second T20 international in Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Skipper Najmul Hossain scored a fifty while Tawhid Hridoy, Liton Das and Soumya Sarker all made valuable contribution to ensure an easy victory after the bowlers restricted the visitors for 165 for 5.

Chasing a target of 166, Bangladeshi openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarker dealt with a flurry of boundaries and took 63 runs in the powerplay. The openers made the Lankan bowlers look clawless taking 46 runs with 10 boundaries and an over boundary in the first six overs.

However, Soumya survived a caught behind by taking review in the fourth over. The Lankan players objected to the decision of the TV umpire swarming around the on-field umpire as ultra-edge showed a spike. However, there was a gap between bat and ball when the spike showed up and that made the TV umpire overturn the decision of on-field umpire. The decision will surely spawn a lot of debate and add yet another issue in the list of controversies in the matches between the two countries.

Soumya could not capitalise on his luck as Matheesha Pathirana brought the visitors the breakthrough they were desperately looking for in the seventh over. Soumya’s mistimed pull went to Mathews at midwicket as he departed scoring 26 off 22 balls hitting 5 boundaries.

Pathirana also got the prized wicket of Liton Das in the ninth over. Liton’s brisk innings of 36 off 24 balls came to an end with Bangladesh requiring 83 runs from 11 overs.

Out of touch captain Najmul and in-from Tawhid Hridoy were circumspect to ensure Bangladesh does not lose its way from an advantageous situation. The duo rotated strike while scoring boundaries intermittently. 

The duo made an unbeaten partnership of 87 in the third wicket and ensured an easy win for the Tigers to draw the series 1-1.

Najmul pummeled a six over deep backward square leg to reach his fifty and secure the team's victory in the first ball of the 19th over. He remained unbeaten for 53 from 38 balls and Hridoy made 32 from 25 balls.

Najmul was named player of the match.

Earlier, Bangladesh got a good start getting an early breakthrough after choosing to bowl first. Shoriful Islam started the innings by bowling a maiden over. As pressure built, Avisha Fernando tried to free his arm in the second over and paid the price by top edging a back of a length delivery by Taskin Ahmed. The opener was caught and bowled for a 7-ball duck.

Kamindu Mendis joined Kusal Mendis but Bangladeshi pacers kept them quiet till the third over allowing the visitors only 8 runs. The duo, however, racked up 17 runs off the fourth over bowled by Taskin and set the tone for their team. Lankans posted 49 runs in the powerplay.   

As the batters were well set, maintaining a run rate of eight, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain brought in slow medium part-timer Soumya Sarker who removed Kusal Mendis in the ninth over to break the 66-run second wicket partnership. The southpaw scored a brisk 36 of 22 balls.

Kamindu Mendis fell prey to run out in the next over scoring 37 from 27 deliveries. Mustafizur took a return catch to do away with last match’s half-centurion Sadeera Samarawickrama for 7 putting the visitors in further pressure.

Mahadi bowled out dangerous looking Charith Asalanka after conceding two sixes in the fourteenth over reducing the visitors to 112 for five in the fourteenth over. The Lankan captain played a cameo of 28 runs from 14 balls.

Experienced Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka added 53 runs in the sixth wicket partnership to take their team to a total of 165 for five. Bangladeshi bowlers gave away only 43 runs in the last five overs to restrict the visitors.

Mathews was not out for 32 and Shanaka 20 but the duo could not really charge the Bangladeshi bowlers in the death overs to post a safe total for the visitors. Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka told the post-match ceremony that they were 20-25 runs short.

Four Bangladeshi bowlers shared one wicket each. Shoriful did not get any wicket but was brilliant with line and length conceding only 20 runs from his four overs.

Bangladesh’s win today and Sri Lanka’s win by 3 runs in a nerve-racking first match means the series will be decided at the same venue on Friday.