Champika Fernando at the R Premadasa Stadium

Bangladesh shocked hosts Sri Lanka with an enthralling and closely fought five-wicket win to keep their hopes alive in the Nidahas Trophy tri-nation cricket tournament at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday night.

Bangladesh’s victory was orchestrated by openers Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das who raced to 74 for 1 at the end of the power-play overs before Mushfiqur Rahim unleashed fury with brilliant stroke play, leading the tourists to a record run chase with two balls to spare.

 Rahim, battling cramps towards the end of the innings, remained unbeaten at 72 off 35 balls with four boundaries and five sixes—including a mighty hit over mid-wicket off Nuwan Pradeep in the penultimate over of their innings.

Pradeep had given just three runs off the first four balls to leave Bangladesh needing 16 runs to win off the last eight. But Mushfiqur launched a mighty six over mid-wicket to bring the equation down to nine runs off the final over. Mushfiqur, who played a gem of an innings, had little trouble in pulling off a sensational win for the tourists who had been at the receiving end of the Sri Lankans during their home series last month. Liton Das made a whirlwind 43 off 19 with five sixes and two boundaries, giving Bangladesh a flying start, while Tamim Iqbal hit 47 off 29 balls to help the Bangladesh chase. 

Sri Lanka’s failure to defend a total as high as 214 left a sour taste in the mouths of thousands of supporters praying for a home victory. As with the Bangladesh side, Sri Lankan bowlers could not generate much on a solid batting track. They were caught like a deer in the headlights, mostly watching the balls sail to the boundary, over or below.

 Sri Lanka employed seven bowlers, just as their opposing camp, but nothing prevented the tigers from snatching a well-deserved victory. The home team had the chance to take a giant stride to secure a place in the Sunday’s Nidahas Trophy Tri-nation tournament final. But this defeat has now placed Sri Lanka in a must-win situation against India on Monday.

 After openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Mendis set the tone for an imposing total, Kusal Perera continued his stellar form in the tournament scoring a belligerent 74 off 48 balls to lead Sri Lanka huge 214 for 6, after Bangladesh skipper Mahmudulla decided to bowl first under overcast conditions.

Gunathilaka and Mendis’s onslaught lasted for 27 balls but it fetched Sri Lanka a whopping 56-runs before Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman sneaked through to end Gunathilaka's threatening stand. Then Kusal Perera, who walloped India’s attack in the opening night with a match winning half-century (66), and Kusal Mendis cashed in on hapless Bangladesh.

The visitors tied things up briefly after the power-play overs by introducing spin into the attack. Sri Lanka piled up 70 runs off the first six overs, including 22 runs off Taksin Ahmed’s second over, but could not continue the momentum in the middle overs. Spinners Mehidy Hasan and Nazmul Islam bowled to a perfect line and length, occasionally getting the grip and turn to unsettle the batsman.

 But the batting duo then went about with business, hitting a flurry of sixes and boundaries. Mendis, who seems to be enjoying his new role as opener, smashed his third fifty-plus score in T20 cricket in as many as four innings, his third consecutive against Bangladesh, in a brilliant display of power-hitting right round the ground. The diminutive opener’s final score of 57 runs came off 30 balls with five sixes and two boundaries and he shared a brisk second wicket stand of 85 runs with Kusal Perera.

 When Mendis departed, Sri Lanka had a mini collapse in the middle with Dasun Shanaka and Dinesh Chandimal falling for Mahmudulla’s first over. But Kusal Perera and Upul Tharanga helped Sri Lanka to a huge 214 for six at the end of their quarter of overs.  Perera returned to the pavilion with four balls to spare in their innings top edging to wicket-keeper but by then he had shared 55 for the sixth wicket with Tharanga who remained unbeaten on 32 of 15 balls with four boundaries and a six. Jeevan Mendis smashed his first ball off Mustafizur Rahman for a massive six over midwicket boundary but did not find the leather to the bat.

 Mustafizur Rahman was expensive, conceding 48 runs off his four overs, but picked up three wickets while skipper Mahmudulla had two scalps for 15 runs.

What they said after the match 

Player of the Match Mushfiqur Rahim: Really we badly needed that win. Credit goes to the batsmen for holding their nerve. The way Liton and Tamim set it up for us was outstanding. It was a nice track to bat on. I dedicate this knock to my son; he's just 35 days old. At the end of the day, winning is the most important. I was just having a cramp, and hopefully I will recover for the next match.

Chandimal: It was a really good game of cricket and credit to the batsmen. It was a really good wicket but as a bowling unit we did not execute well. I am sure they will come back in the next game. We tried but the wicket was too good to bat. The Kusals are in good form and it really gives the batting unit confidence. So, looking forward to the next game.

Mahmudullah: I think it was a game of quite a bit of nerves. The bowlers did try in the first innings but it was a really good wicket to bat on. It was great the result came in our way. To be honest, from the beginning we thought we could win. Tamim and Liton gave us a good start. Then Mushy was outstanding. It was amazing to see and good inspiration for us. We knew they might bowl Akila in the first or second over, and that's why we sent Liton at the top of the order.

Sri Lanka

Danushka Gunathilaka  b Mustafizur 26

BKG Mendis c Sabbir b Mahmudulla  57

K.Perera  c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur 74

Dasun Shanka  c Sabbir b Mahmudulla 0

Dinesh Chandimal c Ahmed b Taksin 2

Upul Tharanga Tharanga  not out 32

Thisara Perera c Nazmul Islam b Mustafizur 0

Jeevan Mendis not out 6

Extras  (b 1, lb 3, nb 1, w 12)17

Total (for 6 wickets in 20 overs) 216

Fall of Wickets 1-56,  2-141, 3-142, 4-150, 5-205, 6-206

Bowling:  Taksin 3-0-40-1, Mustafizur 4-0-48-3, Robel Hossain 4-0-45-0, Mehidy Hasan 4-0-31-0, Nazmul lslam 2-0-20-0, Soumya Sarkar 1-0-11-0, Mahmudulla 2-0-15-2

Did not bat: Akila  Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep Fernando

Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal c &b T.Perera 47

Liton Das lbw b Fernando 43 

Soumya Sarkar c&b Fernando 24

Mushfiqur Rahim not out 72

Mahmudullah c mendis b Chameera 20

Mehidy Miraz not out 00

Extras (lb 3,nb 1,  w 5) 09

Total (for 5 wickets in 19.4 overs) 215

Fall of wicket : 1-74,2-100,3-151,4-193,5-197

Bowling: D.Chameera 4-0-44-1 , A.Dhananjaya 3-0-36-0 , N.Pradeep4—37-2 , D.Gunathilaka 2-0-22-0,T.Perera3.4-0-36-1 , J.Mendis 2-0-25-0,D.Shanaka 1-0-12-0

Did not bat: Yet to bat: Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Nazmul Islam