Sri Lanka snatch nail-biting win in first T20

Tourists win by two runs as Bangladesh capitulate at the end.

Sri Lanka won the first Twenty20 against hosts Bangladesh by two runs in Chittagong. The hosts failed to cross the line despite a super batting performance, finishing at 166 for seven in the allotted 20 overs in response to Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 167 for seven.

Anamul Haque who scored 58 off 45 balls with the help of seven fours was dismissed off the last ball of the match with the hosts needing three runs for a win.

Tamim Iqbal scored 30, while Shakib Al Hasan chipped in with 26, providing a base for the chase. For the Sri Lankans, Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara claimed two wickets each.



Lasith Malinga had to settle with a solitary wicket in his four overs. Earlier the tourists managed a competitive score through the efforts of their opener Kusal Perera who scored 61 runs off 44 balls. His innings was studded with seven fours and one six.

No other Sri Lankan batsman could play a big innings however Kulasekara made a valuable 31 runs off 21 balls to give valuable momentum to the innings towards the end. Thisara Perera scored 19 runs; Kusal Perera was given good company at the start of the innings by the skipper Dinesh Chandimal who scored 18 runs after veteran Tilakaratne Dilshan perished without scoring to fast bowler Mashraffe Mortaza.

Mortaza, Shakib and Arafat Sunny claimed two wickets each for the hosts.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2014.

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