Sri Lanka run Bangladesh to the ground in first T20I

Friday, 11 July 2025 02:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka gave Sri Lanka a rousing start, posting 78 off 28 balls

Kusal Mendis, relishing the Bangladesh bowling, scores another fifty

Mehidy Hasan and Mohammad Naim during their partnership of 46

Maheesh Theekshana celebrates the wicket of Parvez Hossain

Dasun Shanaka on his return to T20I cricket bowled a tidy spell

Start preparation for T20 World Cup with near perfect performance

PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka started their preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup on an assuring note, beating Bangladesh by seven wickets in the first T20I played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Bangladesh scored 154-5, but in the end, it turned out to be an easy win for Sri Lanka when openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis set the innings at a scorching pace, breaking the back of the chase within the first four overs by posting 64. They came out smashing the ball to all parts of the ground and put on 78 for the opening wicket inside the first five overs. Nissanka smashed a 16-ball 42 (5 fours, 3 sixes) and was well supported by Mendis as they ran amok the Bangladesh bowling.

Bangladesh, in fact, looked helpless and clueless as the ball flew towards all directions of the ground, with Sri Lanka posting their highest score in a powerplay 83/1 to beat the 75/2 they scored against India at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in 2018.

The pace slowed down a bit when Mehidy Hasan dismissed Nissanka, but Mendis, who had taken a liking to the Bangladesh bowling, completed a 31-ball fifty and eventually finished with 73 off 51 balls (5 fours, 3 sixes) as Sri Lanka coasted home comfortably.

The Sri Lanka bowlers did a good job to restrict Bangladesh to a mere under par score of 154 despite the visitors having a really productive powerplay, scoring 54-1. Just when things were going smoothly for them, Sri Lanka struck back with a couple of wickets in quick succession.

Litton Das was trapped lbw by Jeffrey Vandersay and Maheesh Theekshana removed the set batsman Parvez Hossain (38 off 22 balls) soon after. Dasun Shanaka, introduced into the attack in the middle overs, did not allow the Bangladeshi batters to rotate the strike and stemmed the flow of runs in a fine spell of 1/22 off four overs.

Mohammad Naim and Mehidy Hasan chipped in with a much-needed partnership for the fifth wicket that realised 46 off 36 balls, and the cameo by Shamim Hossain (14* off 5 balls) helped Bangladesh breach the 150-run mark. The Sri Lankan bowlers, bowling some good slower deliveries in the second half, were able to restrict Bangladesh to a total which they felt was 20-30 runs short.

Mendis took the Player of the Match award.

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