Nidahas Trophy: Bangladesh stun Sri Lanka in high-scoring affair
Colombo, March 10 (IANS) Bangladesh pulled off a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their second match of the Nidahas Trophy Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket tri-series here at R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Put in to bat, Sri Lanka posted a huge total of 214 for six. In reply, Bangladesh overhauled the target with five wickets and two deliveries to spare as they recorded the fourth highest total to be chased down in T20I cricket.
Mushfiqur Rahim plundered 72 not out off 35 deliveries, with the help of five fours and four sixes as took Bangladesh over the rope for their first win in the tournament.
Earlier, Kusal Perera (74 off 48) and opening batsman Kusal Mendis (57 off 30) starred for the hosts. They shared an 85-run partnership for the second wicket after the loss of opener Danushka Gunathilaka (26 off 19). Mendis and Gunathilaka had put 56 runs for the first wicket in 4.3 overs.
The Perera-Mendis pair then continued the assault on the visitors, who had lost to India on Thursday.
Captain Mahmudullah removed Mendis to break the dangerous partnership in the 14th over with Sri Lanka at 141/2. The off-spinner struck again in the same over, dismissing Dashun Shanaka (0).
Pacer Taskin Ahmed then sent back Dinesh Chandimal (2) to leave the hosts five wickets down for 150 in 15 overs.
However, later Perera joinded hands with Upul Tharanga (32 not out off 15) to turn the heat on the visitors as their 55-run stand came off in just 4.2 overs to take the hosts pass the 200-run mark.
During the chase, openers Tamim Iqbal (47 off 29) and Liton Das (43 off 19) provided a brilliant opening partnership of 74 runs in 5.5 overs till the dismissal of the former, who was dismissed by an LBW decision in favour of medium-pacer Nuwan Pradeep.
Soumya Sarkar (22 off 22) struggled for big shots but Tamim got it going before Mushfiqur took charge to keep Bangladesh in the hunt till the last despite the high required run rate.
Tamim gave a return catch to Thisara Perera in the 10th over as Bangladesh reached 100/2. After Sarkar’s dismissal with his team at 151/3, former captain Mushfiqur found good support from Mahmudullah (20 off 11).
But Sri Lanka remained in the hunt by removing Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman (0), as Bangladesh required 18 runs from 1.4 overs.
Mushfiqur hit a full-toss from Pradeep towards mid-wicket to reduce the asking rate to nine off the last over from which, he collected six runs in the first two deliveries of medium-pacer Thirsara Perera to help Bangladesh end their five-match losing streak in T20I.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka: 214/6 (Kusal Perera 74, Kusal Mendis 57, Upul Tharanga 32 not out; Mustafizur Rahman 3/48, Mahmudullah 2/15) vs Bangladesh: 215/5 in 19.4 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 72 not out, Tamim Iqbal 47, Liton Das 43; Nuwan Pradeep 2/37, Thisara Perera 1/36).
