The men in blue emerged victorious, winning their first T20 match against Bangladesh. The tournament, consisting of three matches, was held at the Sylhet Stadium. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first, asking Sri Lanka to bat.
The match was an intense and nail-biting affair, with both teams putting up a fierce fight. It was difficult to predict which team would come out on top until the very last ball. However, Sri Lanka claimed victory by a slim margin of just three runs.
Interestingly, the Sri Lankan team played without their captain, Vanidu Hasaranga, who had been banned for two matches. The team’s leadership for today’s match was assigned to Charith Asalanka.
Overall, it was a highly competitive and thrilling match that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Avishka Fernando
During the Sri Lanka (MIB) team’s recent match, their regular opener, Pathum Nissanka, could not play due to a physical injury. As a result, Avishka Fernando was brought in to take his place at the top of the batting order.
Unfortunately, Fernando struggled to impact the match, scoring just four runs before being dismissed. This outcome may be familiar to some observers, as Fernando has struggled in T20 matches in the past. In fact, he has only managed to score 30 runs in his last ten matches.
For a player at the international level, this is a relatively low score and suggests that Fernando may be struggling to perform at his best.
Kusal Mendis
Kusal Mendis, a talented batsman for the Sri Lankan cricket team, has had a history of being inconsistent and not taking responsibility for his play. However, he has found his rhythm in today’s match, scoring an impressive 56 runs, crucial for his team’s victory.
Mendis played exceptionally well, forming a partnership of 96 runs for the third wicket with Sadeera Samarawickrama. One significant feature in Mendis’s batting is his ability to face the ball easily, which made it difficult for the bowlers to dismiss him. Despite this, Mendis was eventually caught out while trying to increase the run rate.
Samarawickrama, on the other hand, has emerged as a reliable and consistent batter for the Sri Lankan cricket team. His performance in the match was exceptional, scoring a quick and unbeaten 61 runs.
Samarawickrama’s contribution to the team’s victory was significant as he added 73 runs with the captain Asalanka for the fourth wicket. With batters like him, Sri Lankan cricket fans can be hopeful about the team’s future.
Charith Asalanka
As the acting captain, he has demonstrated exemplary performance and fulfilled his responsibilities commendably. He recently showcased his cricketing skills by scoring 44 runs in just 21 balls with remarkable ease.
However, he did not anticipate that the competition would be so challenging. Despite posting a mammoth score of 206, he appeared calm and composed. But, when Bangladesh lost three wickets for just 30 runs, he may have initially believed that winning the match would be a cakewalk.
At that time, most people thought Sri Lanka would emerge victorious without much difficulty, given the dismal state of Bangladesh’s innings.
Bangladesh fielding and bowling
This particular match was played on a grassy wicket, which proved to be beneficial for the batters. However, despite this, Bangladesh won the toss and decided to field with a clear objective.
The night dew was high, and Bangladesh aimed to exploit this factor. They were mostly successful in doing so, but their bowlers struggled to contain the Sri Lankan batters, who were scoring runs at a rapid pace.
Evidently, the Bangladeshi bowlers could not control the Sri Lankan batters, who could easily face their deliveries.
Chasing in Bangladesh
In their recent matches, Angelo Mathews played a crucial role as the opening bowler for Sri Lanka’s T20 team. His performance was nothing short of stellar, as he managed to take 2 wickets for just 17 runs in the 3 overs that he bowled.
While Mathews may not be the fastest bowler out there, he is undoubtedly one of the most effective, thanks to his skill at directing the ball precisely where it needs to go. This makes it incredibly challenging for opposing batters to hit the ball where they want to, resulting in high frustration and difficulty.
Despite his seemingly simple approach to the game, Mathews is undoubtedly one of the best bowlers in the business, and his performance in this match is a testament to that fact.
It was a thrilling match where Bangladesh showcased two very impressive innings. Mahmudullah, the experienced all-rounder, played a magnificent knock of 54 runs. His innings were a testament to his skills and experience.
He played a crucial role in stabilising the innings after the early wickets fell. Mahmudullah’s innings were a mix of aggression and caution, and he played some delightful shots all over the ground.
Jaker Ali, the young and promising batsman, also played a blistering innings of 68 runs. He impressed everyone with his stroke play and attacking mindset. Ali’s innings were a treat as he hit some majestic shots that stunned the opposition bowlers. His innings were filled with boundaries and sixes that kept the crowd on their feet.
Unfortunately for Bangladesh, Ali got out in the last over, which proved to be a turning point in the match. Had he stayed a little longer, Bangladesh could have won the match. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic effort from both the batters, and their innings will be remembered for a long time.
Ragama Rambo-A man with a black band around his head
Binura Fernando was the other opening bowler. He is known as Ragama Rambo. A very tall player. Like Silvester Stallone in the Rambo movie, a black belt is wrapped around his head. But he doesn’t seem to have the same strength as Rambo.
The condition of a suitable bowler for t20 matches is not shown. But Upul Tharanga’s selection committee believes in him. That’s probably why a fast bowler like Dilshan Madushanka is left out and gives Binura Fernando more opportunities.
But in today’s match, Binura took one wicket. Therefore, Bangladesh lost three wickets in four overs.
From this time, the Sri Lankan players have taken the match easily. But little by little, Bangladeshi batters are taking control of the match. Gradually, Bangladesh’s scoreboard is rising.
Mahmudullah scores 54 quick runs. And Jaker Ali gets 68 runs. Gradually, the victory of the match turned to Bangladesh’s side.
The Sri Lankan players who behaved very easily all this time are starting to shake. Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler, Mathisha Pathirana, is severely attacked by the Bangladeshi batters. Even when the Bangladeshi batters attack, the Sri Lankan captain is smiling.
Mathisha Pathirana-Uncontrolled speed
Mathisha Pathirana is a promising young fast bowler from Sri Lanka who has gained a reputation for being the quickest bowler in the country. Although he is an amateur bowler, his speed and ability to intimidate opposition batters make him a valuable asset to the Sri Lankan cricket team. However, Pathirana still needs to work on his ball control to achieve his full potential as a bowler.
Sri Lanka needs more bowlers like Pathirana, who can bring a new level of aggression to their gameplay. Unfortunately, there are also bowlers like Binura Fernando who do not live up to expectations.
Pathirana’s success as a bowler depends mainly on his skipper. He has performed exceptionally well under good captains, such as when he played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) under the guidance of MS Dhoni.
Despite his talent, Pathirana suffered a leg injury during a match after bowling his third over. By then, the Bangladeshi batters had already gotten the better of him. Pathirana’s four overs in the match consisted of 36 balls, equivalent to six overs in a longer game format. However, his performance was not up to par for a T20 match, conceding nine wide balls and three no balls.
The time when the hearts of the Sri Lankan team are beating fast
The First T20 match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was filled with drama and excitement. As the match progressed, the Sri Lankan team found themselves in a difficult position as the shadows of defeat became increasingly visible. The Bangladeshi crowd was ecstatic, screaming wildly as they sensed their team was on the brink of victory.
The Sri Lankan players looked upset, and their tension was palpable. What was expected to be an easy win had turned into a losing position. To make matters worse, Bangladesh’s batters had taken 56 runs from Sri Lanka’s best fast bowler without even taking him out – they had trampled him.
The Sri Lankan leader was helpless, with all his game plans in disarray. The team had to deal with the added complication of Mathisha Pathirana’s injury, which had completely messed up their plan to use bowlers effectively.
As the game neared its climax, one question was on everyone’s mind – who would give the last over? Asalanka, the Sri Lankan captain, ultimately gave the ball to Shanaka, who was not a player under much pressure. Shanaka rose to the occasion, taking two crucial wickets in the last over and conceding only 8 runs.
Ultimately, the Sri Lankan team emerged victorious, beating Bangladesh by three runs in a sharp competition. The match’s hero was Charith Asalanka, who scored 44 quick runs. However, the Sri Lankan players must have learnt a valuable lesson from this match.
They now understand how terrible the consequences of taking a match lightly can be, which will hopefully serve as a good starting point for future matches.
