In a gripping encounter at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Bangladesh emerged victorious over Sri Lanka by two wickets, getting their T20 World Cup campaign off to a winning start in Group D.
The match showcased an exhilarating contest between bat and ball, leaving the Dallas crowd thoroughly entertained.
Bangladesh’s bowlers, led by a brilliant spell from leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, restricted Sri Lanka to 124-9. Rishad’s performance, which earned him career-best T20I figures of 3-22, was pivotal in turning the game around.
A fast start
Sri Lanka had made a fast start, reaching 53-2 in the first six overs and progressing to 100-3 after 14 overs, with Pathum Nissanka scoring a quickfire 47 from 28 balls. However, Rishad struck twice in successive balls to change the momentum. Charith Asalanka’s sweep found Shakib Al Hasan at deep backward square, and Sri Lanka skipper Wanindu Hasaranga edged to Soumya Sarkar at slip the very next delivery.
Dhananjaya de Silva, who scored 21 off 26 balls, was stumped by Liton Das off another clever delivery from Rishad. Mustafizur Rahman (3-17) and Taskin Ahmed (2-25) supported well, ensuring Sri Lanka added just 24 runs and lost six wickets in the final six overs.
Bangladesh’s chase began shakily, with the team struggling at 28-3 by the sixth over. However, a crucial 63-run partnership between Liton Das (36) and Towhid Hridoy (40 from 20 balls) put Bangladesh in command. Hridoy’s aggressive batting included three consecutive sixes off Hasaranga before being trapped leg-before.
Middle-order collapse
Despite the middle-order collapse, including the dismissals of Rishad and Taskin by Nuwan Thushara (4-18), veteran Mahmudullah Riyad’s experience shone through. He remained unbeaten on 16, hitting a decisive six off a loose full toss from Dasun Shanaka to ease the nerves and secure victory for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s skipper, Najmul Hossain, praised the team’s resilience and highlighted the importance of contributions from key players. “Everybody’s body language was great; we gave our 120 percent. Very important for Liton, he’s been struggling a bit, but he showed his skill today. Hridoy was really courageous; the way he played that over really helped us,” he said.
Sri Lanka, having now lost both their opening games, faces a challenging path ahead. Skipper Wanindu Hasaranga expressed his disappointment, stating, “If batters put up 150-160, our bowling attack can win games. The last two games the batters didn’t do the job. It’s tough.”
The win marks an impressive start for Bangladesh in the tournament, setting a positive tone for their subsequent matches.
