Sri Lankan players celebrate with the trophy after defeating Bangladesh in the second and final Twenty20 international match at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.— AFP photo
An all-round Sri Lanka pulled off stunning performances against Bangladesh to lift the two-match Twenty20 series 2-0 after they thrashed the hosts by 75 runs in the second match in Sylhet on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 211 runs, the Tigers were bundled out for 135 runs in 18.4 overs after their batsmen failed to provide any significant contributions to chase down the total in a batting friendly surface.
Sri Lanka rode on Kusal Mendis’s 70 off 42 deliveries and some meaningful contributions from other batsmen to post their highest ever total of 210-4 against Bangladesh after they were sent to bat first at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Bangladesh, who lost the opening game in Dhaka by six wickets, were never up to the task chasing a mammoth target as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.
Stand-in skipper Mahmudullah made highest 41 off 31 balls before being run out while opener Tamim Iqbal made 29 after Sri Lanka left the home side struggling at 22-3 inside three overs.
The hosts were out of the game once Soumya Sarkar (0), Mushfiqur Rahim (six)
and Mohammad Mithun (five) at left the crease offering poor shots.
Tamim and Mahmudullah added 37 runs for the fourth wicket but the pressure early wicket loss eventually got the better of them.
Tamim, who missed first game for a bicep injury, started with a six but never looked to be in his usually rhythm before he was perished with an odd-looking shot off debutant Amila Aponso.
Ariful Haque followed him in the next over leaving the onus on Mamhudullah, who was run out in the 15ths over after putting 42 runs for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Saifuddin.
Shehan Madushanka claimed 2-23 while Gunathilaka took the last two wickets in his only over to finish with 2-3.
‘You need to have partnerships when you are chasing 200-plus. You must have at least 60 to 75 runs in the Powerplay. But today we succumbed to scoreboard pressure. I am feeling quite disappointed,’ Mahmudullah said after the match.
Sri Lanka looked to be in control from the start of the game as Mendis struck six fours and three sixes on his way to his second successive fifty and a career-best T20 score.
Bangladesh dropped Mendis’ opening partner Gunathilaka twice respectively on 15 and 28 and had to wait until 11th over for their first success in the game.
But promoted at number three Thisara Perera hit quickfire 31 off 17 to ensure Sri Lanka did not lose their momentum.
Upul Tharanga struck a 13-ball 25, and Dasun Shanaka added unbeaten 30 off 11 balls as Sri Lanka scored 63 runs in last five overs take their score past the 200-run mark.
Source: New Age.
