Bangladesh create T20I series history with their record win against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh created history by winning the three-match away T20I series against the hosts Sri Lanka after thrashing them in the T20I series decider by a record margin. 

At the 1-1 series level situation, Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka chose to bat first in the third and final game of the T20I series at Colombo (RPS) on Wednesday evening (July 16). While Sri Lanka scored 132/7 in 20 overs, the visitors chased down the target in 16.3 overs after losing only two wickets. With an eight-wicket win with 21 balls remaining, Bangladesh recorded their joint largest T20I win (by wickets) against Sri Lanka and also the largest T20I win (by balls remaining) against the same team. 

Bangladesh won their first T20I series against Sri Lanka

With this win, Bangladesh won this away T20I series by 2-1, which became their first bilateral T20I series win against Sri Lanka. Previously, the Tigers lost three T20I bilateral series and drew one T20I bilateral series against Sri Lanka (excluding one-off T20I).

Player of the Match Mahedi Hasan dominated with the ball

The hosts had an off start as they scored 40/3 in the powerplay. Apart from the opener Pathum Nissanka, the other four out of the first five Lankan batters failed to reach double-digit scores, as the hosts were struggling at 49/4. While Nissanka scored the highest runs in the innings with 46 off 39 balls with four fours, Kamindu Mendis and Dasun Shanaka were the others to reach double-digit scores in that innings. Mendis scored 21 runs, and Shanaka fought hard to score 35 not out off 25 balls with four fours and two sixes. In the last over of the innings, Sri Lanka added 22 runs, while Shanaka scored 20 runs out of those. 

The off-spinner Mahedi Hasan was the hero of the evening with the ball as he had the bowling figures of 4-1-11-4. He dismissed four out of the first five Lankan batters, including the important wicket of the opener Pathum Nissanka.

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Tanzid Hasan assured a comfortable win

In reply, although the opener Parvez Hossain Emon lost his wicket on the first ball of the innings, another opener Tanzid Hasan batted strongly and got enough support from the other batters to secure a comfortable win. Hasan had a 74-run partnership with the skipper Litton Das for the second wicket. The Player of the Series, skipper Litton Das, scored 32 runs in the match before getting out. However, Hasan continued his strong batting performance with the next batter Towhid Hridoy to ensure no more frustrating hiccups for the visitors. They had the 59-run partnership for the unbroken third wicket, where Hridoy scored 27 not out and Hasan scored 73 not out off 47 balls with one four and six sixes.