Tigers suffer heartbroken defeat

Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 3 runs in the opening game of the three-match T20 series at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Being asked to bat, Sri Lanka posted a total of 206 runs.  However, Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama came into the crease and made a 96-run stand between them, taking the innings away to them. Mendis departed for 59 from 36 balls while Sadeera remained unbeaten on 61 from 48 balls.

Later, Charith Asalanka played a tornado innings of 44 runs from 21 balls hitting six sixes around the ground.

Bangladesh had to stop on 203/8 in 20 overs while chasing the massive total of 206 runs.

Mahmudullah departed for 54 runs from 31 balls with four sixes and two fours while Jaker Ali kept fighting till the last over. But unfortunately he also had to go when the team needed 10 runs from three balls.

Playing XIs

Bangladesh: Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das(w), Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman.

Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka(c), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana.