Kusal Mendis continued his elegant batting type in white-ball cricket and led Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket victory in opposition to Bangladesh within the first T20 on Thursday.
Mendis adopted his ODI century two days in the past on the identical venue with a 73 off 51 balls as Sri Lanka cruised to 159 for 3 with an over to spare for a 1-0 lead within the three-match collection.
Former captain Dasun Shanaka made a formidable return to white-ball cricket after virtually one 12 months and restricted Bangladesh to 154 for 5 after Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka received the toss and elected to area.
Mendis and Pathum Nissanka (42) had all however sealed the chase inside the primary 5 overs with their belligerent hitting as Sri Lanka sped to 78 for one.
Nissanka smashed quick bowler Mohammad Saifuddin’s first three deliveries for boundaries and Taskin Ahmed conceded 34 off his first two overs contained in the powerplay, with Mendis smacking the tempo bowler for 3 boundaries and three sixes.
Nissanka’s entertaining 16-ball knock ended when he holed out to mid-on however not earlier than hoisting spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 2 sixes.
Mendis eased to his sixteenth T20 half century off 31 balls and — though leg-spinner Rishad Hossain beat Kusal Perera with a googly within the thirteenth over and had the left-hander splice a simple catch to wicketkeeper Litton Das — Sri Lanka eased to victory.
Shamim Hossain timed his leap to perfection at brief further cowl and plucked an excellent left-handed catch to finish Mendis’ innings when Sri Lanka was solely seven away from victory, after quick bowler Mohammad Saifuddin discovered the vanguard of the batter.
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Earlier, opener Parvez Hossain Emon confirmed loads of aggression within the powerplay along with his breezy knock of 38 off 22 balls earlier than Shanaka squeezed Bangladesh’s middle-order along with his slower balls.
Emon, who hit 5 fours and a six, couldn’t clear Shanaka at long-on when he tried an enormous hit in opposition to Nuwan Thushara as Bangladesh slid to 67 for 3.
Leg-spinner Jeffery Vandersay completely stuffed the void of injured Wanindu Hasaranga, who has been dominated out of the collection with a hamstring harm. Vandersay had Das leg earlier than wicket for simply six because the batter misinterpret the googly and went for a sweep.
Mohammad Naim made an unbeaten 32 off 29 balls, however Bangladesh’s batters couldn’t discover acceleration even within the dying overs with Shamim Hossain (14 not out) hitting two late sixes to breach the 150-run mark.