Chasing 155, Sri Lanka made the target look laughably small, thanks to a stunning onslaught from their openers.
Kusal Mendis (73 off 35) and Pathum Nissanka (42 off 16) tore the game open from the very first ball, their 78-run partnership essentially ending the contest within the powerplay.
From there, it was a simple cruise to a seven-wicket victory, achieved with a full over still in the bank.
Opening Stand Sets the Pace
The early assault was ruthless. Between overs 2.4 and 3.3, the pair scored 30 runs.
Nissanka began by hitting Tanzim Hasan for a six over cow corner, a four over cover, and then found a lucky boundary via an inside edge. Mendis followed by dismantling Taskin Ahmed — clearing the cover boundary, cutting behind square, and then slog-sweeping a six over deep square leg.
By the time Nissanka departed, he was striking at 263. Mendis wasn’t far behind with a strike rate of 233.
From there, Sri Lanka’s batters needed only to cruise. The chase was finished in the 19th over.
Bangladesh’s Inning Falters Midway
Earlier, Bangladesh managed 154 for 5.
At one stage, they were 57 for 1 after seven overs — a decent platform. But between overs 8 and 17, they added just 65 runs.
It was an innings built on sand, where individual efforts collapsed without adding up to anything.
Captain Litton Das labored to just six runs; Towhid Hridoy couldn’t do much better with 10. Even Mohammad Naim’s team-high 32 felt like a hollow victory.
He anchored the side, but by chewing up 29 balls to get there, he effectively strangled any hope of a late surge.
Brief Moments of Resistance
Parvez Hossain Emon offered the most firepower for Bangladesh, scoring 38 off 22, including five boundaries and a six over midwicket.
Shamim Hossain, coming in late, added a five-ball cameo with two sixes — one of them a reverse-swept shot off Maheesh Theekshana.
Shamim also impressed in the field, pulling off a running overhead catch to remove Mendis and halt Sri Lanka’s charge briefly.
Bowling Keeps Bangladesh in Check
It was Sri Lanka’s bowling that laid the platform.
Dasun Shanaka bowled four tight overs, conceding just 22. Jeffrey Vandersay helped restrict scoring through the middle.
Bangladesh lost only five wickets, but never looked in control of the innings.
With this win, Sri Lanka showcased both aggression and control — something Bangladesh couldn’t quite match on the day.
