 "Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, T20 World Cup: Hossain, Hridoy star as BAN clinch thrilling win over SL")
Bangladesh made a winning start to the T20 World Cup 2024 with a two-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a Group D encounter at the Grand Prairie on Friday. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain took three wickets for 22 as Sri Lanka were restricted to 124/9. Bangaldesh’s Towhid Hridoy scored 40 off just 20 balls in reply and smashed four sixes as Bangaldesh won with six balls remaining.
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Nuwan Thusara took four wickets for Sri Lanka but it went in vain as Bangladesh defeated their fellow Asian team for the first time in a T20 World Cup.
It was the final of four games at the Grand Prairie Stadium and the Dallas crowd have been treated to some top entertainment on a surface which offered some bounce and produced good contests between bat and ball.
Sri Lanka made a fast start, rattling their way to 53-2 in six overs and they progressed to 100-3 after 14 overs with Pathum Nissanka’s 47 from 28 including eight boundaries (one six).
But then the 21-year-old wrist spinner Rishad struck twice in successive balls to totally change the momentum of the innings.
Charith Asalanka’s sweep shot found Shakib Al Hasan at deep backward square and he snaffled up the catch.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSri Lanka skipper Wanindu Hasaranga was the next victim of Rishad’s spin, edging a sharply turning delivery to Soumya Sarkar at slip.
Dhananjaya de Silva who made a solid 21 off 26 balls was then beaten by Rishad’s flight and was stumped by the alert Liton.
Sri Lanka were just able to add 24 runs from the final six overs losing six wickets in that period.
Rishad finished with career-best T20I figures of 3-22 from his four overs.
Mustafizur Rahman finished with 3-17 from four overs while Taskin Ahmed also bowled well for his 2-25.
Bangladesh made a shaky start and were struggling at 28-3 in the sixth over before Liton (26) and Hridoy put together a crucial 63-run partnership.
Hridoy hit Hasaranga for three consecutive sixes before he was trapped leg before on the next ball and when Hasarange removed Liton, there was a glimmer of hope for Sri Lanka.
A brilliant diving catch in the deep from Maheesh Theekshana saw the back of Shakib Al Hasan to leave Bangladesh at 109-6.
Thushara then returned to the attack and removed Rishad and Taskin to increase the pressure but when Mahmudullah dispatched a loose full toss from Dasun Shanaka for six over mid-wicket, the nerves eased and victory was soon secured.
Bangladesh were playing their first game of the tournament after an unimpressive warm-up campaign saw them lose a three-game series to the USA and then lose by 60 runs to India.
Skipper Najmul Hossain was delighted.
“Everybody’s body language was great, we gave our 120 percent. Very important for Liton, he’s been struggling a bit but he showed his skill today. I think he batted really well. Hridoy was really courageous, the way he played that over really helped us,” he said.
Sri Lanka have now lost both their opening games after suffering a defeat to South Africa in their opener.
“If batters put up 150-160, our bowling attack can win games,” said Hasaranga.
“The last two games the batters didn’t do the job. It’s tough”.
With AFP inputs
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