Mendis and Nissanka Shine as Sri Lanka Defeats Bangladesh by 7 Wickets

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka began their T20 series against Bangladesh with a commanding seven-wicket victory in the first match held at Pallekele.

The home side showcased a strong all-round performance, setting the tone for the series.

Bangladesh, invited to bat first by Sri Lanka, struggled early in their innings, losing their top three wickets for just 67 runs.

Tanzid Hasan was dismissed for 16, while captain Liton Das managed only 6 runs. The highest scorer for Bangladesh was opener Parvez Hossain, who contributed 38 runs.

At the end of their 20 overs, Bangladesh posted a total of 154 for 5.

Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana claimed two wickets, while Dasun Shanaka bowled economically, conceding just 22 runs in his four overs and picking up one wicket.

In response, Sri Lanka’s opening pair, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, built a solid partnership of 78 runs for the first wicket.

The team scored 83 runs in the first six overs, marking their highest-ever powerplay total in T20 internationals.

This surpassed their previous record of 75 runs against India in 2018.

Nissanka scored a quickfire 42 off just 16 balls, while Mendis anchored the innings with a brilliant 73, which included five fours and three sixes.

Sri Lanka comfortably chased down the target in 19 overs, losing only three wickets in the process, and took a 1-0 lead in the series.