Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hit back into form when it mattered most as he led Bangladesh to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the crucial second T20 game and in doing so helped the side level the three-match series at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Shanto who was going through bad patch since the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) struck a 38 ball-53 not out with four fours and two sixes to hasten the victory, a knock that helped the side hunted down Sri Lanka's 165-5 with 170-2 in 18.1 overs.
The captain brought up the victory as well as his fourth half-century with a towering six off Dasun Shanaka over deep backward square.
Towhid Hridoy was on 32 off 25, including two fours and one six.
Hridoy and Shanto added 87 in an unbeaten third wicket, tearing apart the Sri Lanka bowler in impeccable fashion. Bangladesh lost the first game by three wickets after a thrilling contest.
The hosts got off to a solid start, courtesy of openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar as they combined for 68 runs in 6.5 overs.
Pacer Matheesha Pathirana who took both of the fallen wickets of Bangladesh for 28 runs broke the partnership, when he had Sarkar caught by Angelo Mathews at midwicket with a short ball.
Soumya who survived after a review, that made Sri Lanka players shocked, scored 26.
Pathirana's short ball also accounted the wicket of Das after his 24 ball-36.
Hridoy and Shanto then played sedately to bring up the victory in comprehensive manner.
Bangladesh bowlers also bowled in disciplined to contribute in the victory. Kamindu Mendis made team-high 37 while Kusal Mendis scored 36.
Angelo Mathews added 32 not out and stand-in captain Charith Asalanka chipped-in-with a typically aggressive 28 off 14.
Sri Lanka needed eight balls to open the scoreboard after put into bat first with pacer Shoriful Islam bowling a maiden over. Taskin then broke through, giving a struggling Avishka Fernando a seven-ball duck but two Mendis'-Kamindu and Kusal-formed a dangerous partnership, which put Sri Lanka in the track of yet another big total.
As they appeared to cause more havoc, the breakthrough came from an unlikely source. Occasional bowler Soumya Sarkar dismissed Kusal Mendi after he hit two fours and three sixes in his 22 ball-36, ending the 66 runs partnership. This was Kusal's first knock less then 50 after three innings against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh then got two wickets in quick succession to take the baton of the game with Kamindu Mendis being trapped run out while Sadeera Samarawickrama, the half-centurion of the first match giving return catch to Mustafizur Rahman after scoring 7.
Asalanka who smote six sixes in his 21 ball-44 not out in the last game got into groove quickly as Sri Lanka pressed hard. However offspiner Mahedi Hasan removed him before he did more carnage to bring the side back into the contest again.
Bangladesh bowlers then did well to deny Dasun Shanaka and Mathews any big hit in the death overs, limiting Sri Lanka to a total that looked achievable with ease.
Shanaka and Mathews put on 53 runs in an unbeaten sixth wicket but played 37 balls. Shanaka was not out on 20 off 18 with one four and one six.
Source: BSS