Bangladesh kicked off their ICC T20 World Cup campaign with a thrilling 2-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Group D. Chasing a modest target of 125 runs, Bangladesh clinched the win with an over to spare despite losing 8 wickets.
Towhid Hridoy emerged as the hero for Bangladesh, smashing a quickfire 40 runs off just 20 balls, including 4 sixes and a four. Liton Das provided valuable support with a 36-run knock (2 fours, 1 six) off 38 deliveries. Mahmudullah Riyad’s unbeaten 16 (1 six off 13 balls) ensured Bangladesh crossed the finish line.
Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara displayed exceptional bowling, grabbing 4 wickets for a mere 18 runs in his 4 overs. However, his efforts were overshadowed by Bangladesh’s batting resilience. Wanindu Hasaranga chipped in with 2 wickets, while Dhananjaya de Silva and Matheesha Pathirana took one wicket each for Sri Lanka.
Earlier, Sri Lanka, who elected to bat first after losing the toss, were restricted to 124/9 in their 20 overs. Opener Pathum Nissanka top-scored with a 47-run knock (7 fours, 1 six) off 28 balls. The rest of the Sri Lankan batting line-up faltered, with only Kusal Mendis (10), Dhananjaya de Silva (21), Charith Asalanka (19), and Angelo Mathews (16) managing double-digit scores.
Bangladesh’s bowling attack shone brightly. Spinners Rishad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman emerged as the wrecker-in-chiefs, claiming 3 wickets apiece for 22 runs and 17 runs respectively in their 4-over spells. Taskin Ahmed bagged 2 wickets, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib picked up 1 wicket to dismantle the Sri Lankan batting order.
This defeat marks Sri Lanka’s second consecutive loss in the tournament, having fallen to South Africa by 6 wickets in their opening match. They will look to bounce back when they face Nepal on Wednesday, who also lost their first encounter against Netherlands.
