The Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka rivalry continues to delight and reward viewers. Offering a rollercoaster of a ride in a low-scoring thriller, the two teams fought hard till the very end, before Mahmudullah took the Bangla Tigers home with just two wickets to spare in match 15 of ICC T20 World Cup 2024 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, June 8. (As It Happened | Scorecard | Full Coverage)
Chasing Sri Lanka's modest target of 125 runs, Bangladesh imploded in a late collapse and were made to grind it out for every run in the end. After losing five wickets for 24 runs, Najmul Hossain Shanto's team eventually got over the line with six balls remaining in the pulsating encounter.
Mustafizur Rahman and Rishad Hossain (who was adjudged the Player Of The Match) picked up three wickets apiece to help Bangladesh restrict Wanindu Hasaranga's side for what seemed like an eminently gettable total. Opener Pathum Nissanka (47 off 28 balls) was the only one to fire for the Lankans.
Bangladesh's chase began shakily as they lost both their openers in the first two overs. But Litton Das (36 off 38 balls) and Towhid Hridoy (40 off 20) settled the ship for the Bangla side, and looked like cruising to the target.
But the Lankans had other ideas. Hasaranga accounted for both Hridoy and Das, and Nuwan Thushara dismissed Rishad Hossain and Taskin Ahmed off consecutive deliveries in the 18th over to derail the chase.
It was Mahmudullah who held firm, and ensured that Bangladesh got to the target even as he was running out of partners at the other end.
Earlier, Shanto won the toss and decided to bowl first. This was the campaign opener for Bangladesh, who headed into T20 World Cup 2024 after playing two warm-up matches. Their first prep game, against co-hosts United States, was abandoned without a ball bowled due to thunderstorms and tornado warning in Texas. They lost their second warm-up game against India by a whopping 60 runs.
As for Sri Lanka, it was the second match of the tournament. Hasaranga's team had slumped to a lowly total of 77 and suffered a six-wicket defeat at the hands of South Africa in their opening game, and played a couple of warm-up games in Florida before that.
Playing XIs
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga (C), Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara.
Bangladesh will next face South Africa on June 10 in Long Island, New York, while the Lankans will head to Florida next for their clash against Nepal on June 12.
