Bangladesh beats Sri Lanka by 8 wickets as Tamim’s 73 not out helps clinch T20 series

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) – Tanzid Hasan Tamim’s career-best half-century backed Bangladesh’s eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka to clinch their three-match T20 series 2-1 on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka won the first game by seven wickets and Bangladesh came back with a massive 83-run win to level the series.

Sri Lanka scored a mediocre 132-7 in their 20 overs after captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat first. Bangladesh replied with 133-2 with 21 deliveries to spare.

Bangladesh lost their first wicket in the first ball of their innings when Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Thushara trapped Parvez Hossain Emon lbw.

Tamim and captain Litton Das held the Bangladesh innings together sharing a 74-run partnership for the second wicket in just 50 deliveries. Das made 32 before being caught by Kusal Perera off spin bowler Kamindu Mendis.

Tamim and Towhid Hridoy joined in an unbroken 59-run stand and saw their team through to victory.

Tamim finished with 73 not out to beat his previous best Twenty20 international score of 67 made against Zimbabwe last year. He hit six sixes and a boundary during his 47-ball innings.

Hridoy remained unbeaten on 27.

Earlier, Bangladesh off spin bowler Mehedi Hasan took a career best 4-11.

Sri Lanka started its innings aggressively scoring 14 runs in the first over. However, Bangladesh fast bowler Shoriful Islam dismissed in-form batter Kusal Mendis (6) in the last ball of the over having him caught at deep-square-leg by Hridoy.

Kusal Perera was out in the first ball edging Mehedi Hasan to Tamim at slip.

Dinesh Chandimal also failed, being dismissed for 4 runs trying an aggressive shot against Mehedi to be caught by Jaker Ali.

Asalanka (3) was stuck on the crease and played the wrong line against Mehedi and was bowled.

Mehedi caught Pathum Nissanka, the top scorer for Sri Lanka with 46 runs, off his own bowling. He bettered his previous best bowling figures of 4-13 against the West Indies.

Kamindu Mendis attempted to increase Sri Lanka’s scoring rate with 21 runs in 15 deliveries while Dasun Shanaka remained not out on 35 off 25 deliveries. He hit 21 runs out of 22 scored by Sri Lanka in their last over.