Kushal Mendis played a career best innings. Bangladesh did not allow the rest of the batters to stand like that if that innings was left out. The Tigers gave a total of 39 runs by picking up 3 wickets in the last 5 overs. As a result, the Lankans were restricted to 174 runs for 7 wickets. That means Bangladesh need 175 to win the series.
Luck helped Bangladesh captain Nazmul Hossain Shantar in the series-deciding third and final T20 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Like the previous two matches, this time also he chose to field first.
Bangladesh started with very controlled bowling. Taskin Ahmed returned Dhananjaya de Silva (8 from 12 balls) at the head of the team’s 18 runs. Kamindu Mendis was the victim of Rishad Hossain for 12 balls.
The Tigers did not allow batsmen like Wanindu Hasaranga (13 balls 15) or Charith Asalanka (5 balls 3) to get beaten. But Kushal Mendis continued to fight alone.
Kushal played a devastating innings of 66 runs off 55 balls with 6 four-sixes. Taskin Ahmed finally stopped him. But by that time the Lankans’ total was 140 in the 17th over.
In the end, Angelo Mathews scored 10 off 7 balls and Dasun Shanaka scored 19 runs off 9 balls for Sri Lanka.
Taskin Ahmed took two wickets with 25 runs in 4 overs. Rishad’s 2 wickets for 35 runs. Shariful took one wicket for 28 runs in 4 overs. Mostafizur Rahman also took a wicket. However, he was the team’s most prolific bowler, scoring 47 in four overs.
MMR/JIM
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