Mendis stars in Lanka victory

SYLHET, Bangladesh: Sri Lanka ended their Bangladesh tour in style, crushing the hosts by 75 runs to wrap up the T20 series 2-0.

Kusal Mendis, who has been Sri Lanka’s most dominant batsman across formats in the last four weeks, starred again with 70 off 42 balls to propel the visitors to 210 for 4. Shehan Madushanka, who was playing his second T20I, and the spinners then skittled Bangladesh for 135 in the chase.

After being sent in, Sri Lanka amassed their highest total against Bangladesh and fifth highest overall. Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka had set the base with a 98-run opening stand before Upul Tharanga and Dasun Shanaka plundered 45 in 19 balls to provide the finishing kick.

Mendis continued from where he had left off from Mirpur and went after the Bangladesh bowlers from the first over. He punished debutants Abu Jayed and Mahedi Hasan in the early exchanges before lofting left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam over his head for a six in the fourth over.

An over later, Mendis top-edged a pull to deep midwicket, but Tharanga and Shanaka sustained the momentum.Tharanga fell for 25 in the last over of the innings but Shanaka’s unbeaten 30 off 11 balls helped Sri Lanka finish strongly.

Sri Lanka then built on their surge by picking up three wickets in the first three overs of the chase. Akila Dananjaya had Sarkar top-edging a catch to Jeevan Mendis at point while Madushanka removed both Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun in the same over.It put pressure on Bangladesh batsmen and they never comeback in the match and bundled out for 135.

TOSS: BANGLADESH

SRI LANKA INNINGS

Gunathilaka c Iqbal b Sarkar 42

Mendis c Hasan b Rahman 70

Perera c Sarkar b Jayed 31

Tharanga c Sarkar b Saifuddin 25

Shanaka not out 30

Chandimal not out 2

Extras (LB-2, NB-1, W-7) 10

TOTAL (4 wickets, overs 20) 210

Fall of wickets: 1-98, 2-149, 3-160, 4-205.

BOWLING: Abu Jayed 4-0-45-1, Nazmul Islam 4-0-28-0, Mahedi Hasan 2-0-25-0, Mustafizur Rahman 4-0-39-1, Mohammad Saifuddin 4-0-46-1, Soumya Sarkar 2-0-25-1.

BANGLADESH INNINGS

Iqbal c Dananjaya b Aponso 29

Sarkar c Mendis b Dananjaya 0

Rahim c Perera b Madushanka 6

Mithun c Mendis b Madushanka 5

Mahmudullah run out 41

Haque lbw b Mendis 2

Saifuddin c sub b Udana 20

Hasan c Udana b Shanaka 11

Rahman b Gunathilaka 8

Jayed st Chandimal b Gunathilaka 2

Islam not out 1

Extras (W-10) 10

TOTAL: (all out, 18.4 Overs) 135

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-14, 3-22, 4-59, 5-68, 6-110, 7-113, 8-132, 9-132, 10-135.

BOWLING: DSK Madushanka 2.1-0-23-2, A Dananjaya 4-1-20-1, MD Shanaka 1.5-0-5-1, NLTC Perera 3-0-33-0, MA Aponso 4-0-31-1, BMAJ Mendis 1-0-8-1, I Udana 2-0-12-1, MD Gunathilaka 0.4-0-3-2.