Bangladesh finally broke their six-match losing streak in T20s, and they did it in style. They stormed back to beat Sri Lanka by a huge 83 runs in Dambulla on Sunday, leveling the three-match series at 1-1.
It was a complete reversal for the hopeful home crowd filling the Rangiri Dambulla stadium. They came expecting to see Sri Lanka clinch the series, but watched the game slip away instead.
The turnaround was sparked by Litton Das, who looked back in top form with a smooth 76 off 50 balls. Shamim Hossain also brought a fiery energy with both bat and ball that kept Bangladesh in control the entire time.
Sri Lanka, chasing 178, never looked settled. Their innings collapsed at 94 in 15.2 overs. By the 12th over of the chase, the stands had already begun to empty. Dasun Shanaka’s dismissal at 73 marked the last flicker of resistance.
The shift in momentum started earlier, though. After a shaky start with both openers dismissed cheaply, Bangladesh’s innings seemed on the verge of slipping. Towhid Hridoy and Litton Das tried to rebuild, but back-to-back dismissals of Towhid and Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the 12th over raised concerns again.
Then came Shamim Hossain.
Brought to the crease a bit earlier than expected, he attacked almost immediately. His second ball was cut sharply. A few balls later, with the pace taken off, he struck even harder.
Across 27 balls, Shamim struck boundaries off some of Sri Lanka’s key death bowlers — Thushara, Theekshana, and Binura Fernando. Only five deliveries in his knock were dots. His sharp running, proactive strike rotation, and field awareness turned the game.
Shamim also ran out Kusal Mendis and caught Avishka Fernando in the deep, tilting the chase further out of Sri Lanka’s reach. His energy spread across the field, tightening Bangladesh’s grip.
Litton, meanwhile, seemed transformed from the player who had struggled in his recent matches. He had gone 13 matches without a fifty. At 30, he survived a missed stumping. Later on 56, a dropped catch by Theekshana gave him more room. He capitalized, adding 20 more runs before finally falling in the 19th over.
Sri Lanka, so dominant in the first T20I, looked flat. Their strength in the top order failed this time. Kusal Mendis was run out. Nissanka was pinned back by tight bowling from Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur Rahman, both brought back into the side. Nissanka managed 32, but lacked support.
No one in the middle order stepped up. Fernando, Perera, and Asalanka all fell without much impact. Shanaka and Karunaratne, typically able to add late runs, couldn’t break through.
Rishad Hossain led the Bangladesh bowling with 3 for 18. Shoriful added two. The rest of the attack played support with control and pressure.
For Sri Lanka, the collapse was hard to miss. For Bangladesh, it was a relief. The win was overdue, and with one match to go, the series is now anyone’s.
Momentum may have just switched hands.
