Bangladesh edged past Sri Lanka in a nail-biting, low-scoring thriller at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, emerging victorious by 2 wickets in a chase of 125. Veteran cricketer Mahmudullah showcased immense composure under pressure, orchestrating a successful run chase that proved to be a close call. This victory not only marks a significant achievement for Bangladesh, as they secured their maiden T20 World Cup win over the Sri Lankan team, but it also casts a shadow of embarrassment over Sri Lanka’s T20I history.
Following the disappointing loss, Sri Lanka has now earned an unenviable record in T20I cricket’s 19-year history. They have become only the second team ever to notch up 100 losses in T20Is, following in the footsteps of Bangladesh (excluding tied games). The Lankan Lions have participated in 191 T20Is, out of which they have recorded 85 wins and 100 losses. Additionally, they have had four tied games and two no-result encounters.
A glance at the records reveals:
1. Bangladesh: 100 losses out of 170 matches
2. Sri Lanka: 100 losses out of 191 matches
3. West Indies: 99 losses out of 196 matches
4. Zimbabwe: 95 losses out of 145 matches
5. New Zealand: 91 losses out of 217 matches
The ongoing T20 World Cup has been especially unforgiving for Sri Lanka, who suffered their second consecutive defeat. Before their loss to Bangladesh, they were outplayed by South Africa at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
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In their recent match against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka posted a modest score of 124/9 in an innings that had distinct phases. Pathum Nissanka provided a promising start for his side, although the initial momentum dwindled as Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis failed to make significant contributions. By the end of the first eight overs, Sri Lanka was relatively well placed at 64/2. However, the middle overs saw a significant slowdown, and they only added 52 runs over the next eight overs, and a meager 24 runs in the last six overs, setting Bangladesh a target of 125 runs.
Bangladesh’s chase got off to a rocky start, with both Soumya Sarkar and Tanzid Hasan losing their wickets in the opening two overs. However, the wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das played a stabilizing innings of 36 runs off 38 balls. The real game-changer was Towhid Hridoy, whose powerful innings of 40 from just 20 balls turned the tide in Bangladesh’s favor. His three consecutive sixes in a pressure-filled 12th over brought Bangladesh tantalizingly close to their target.
Even with the outstanding performance from Hridoy, the game remained tense as Bangladesh continued to lose wickets towards the end, adding an element of suspense to the outcome. It was ultimately Mahmudullah’s cool-headedness and experience that proved to be the difference. He remained calm under pressure, scoring a crucial 16 runs off 13 balls to guide Bangladesh to victory with only 2 wickets in hand.
The win is a significant morale booster for Bangladesh, who now have something to celebrate in their T20 World Cup campaign. Meanwhile, the defeat adds to Sri Lanka’s woes and exposes vulnerabilities that they will need to address urgently as they move forward in the tournament. This match will undoubtedly be a talking point for analysts and fans alike, as it highlights both Bangladesh’s potential and Sri Lanka’s struggles in the shortest format of the game.
