Litton Kumar Das and Shamim Hossain played superb innings, while Shariful Islam, Rishad Hossain, and Mohammad Saifuddin shone with the ball.
Bangladesh repeated their performance from the ODI series, bouncing back to win the second T20 after losing the opener. With an impressive 83-run victory, the visitors leveled the three-match series.
Batting first at the Rangiri International Stadium in Dambulla, Bangladesh posted 177 for 7 wickets. In response, Sri Lanka was bundled out for just 94 runs.
This is Bangladesh’s biggest win against a full ICC member country by runs. They had previously defeated West Indies by 80 runs last year.
Only one bigger win exists — an 84-run victory over PNG at the 2021 World Cup.
This also marks Sri Lanka’s lowest team total at home against Bangladesh. It’s the first time Sri Lanka have been bowled out for under 100 against Bangladesh.
After a long drought of 13 matches, Litton Kumar Das finally scored a fifty in international T20s. He played a composed innings of 76 off 50 balls, including 1 four and 5 sixes, twice surviving close calls.
Shamim Hossain contributed a quickfire 48 off 27 balls. All five Bangladesh bowlers took wickets, with Rishad Hossain claiming the best figures of 3 wickets.
After losing the toss and being sent to bat, Bangladesh’s start was shaky as Parvez Hossain and Tanzid Hasan returned to the pavilion within the first two overs. Parvez scored no runs, Tanzid made 5.
Litton and Towhid Hridoy steadied the innings with a 69-run partnership for the second wicket, though they couldn’t accelerate much. Hridoy was dismissed for 31 off 25 balls, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz fell in the same over.
Then Litton and Shamim took charge, adding a stormy 77 runs for the fifth wicket in just 39 balls.
Litton survived two close chances: first, he was saved from being stumped at 30, and then at 56, Mahesh Thikshana dropped a catch off bowler Jeffrey Vandersay.
Litton was finally out in the 19th over, marking his 12th fifty in his career. Shamim was run out next over after scoring 48 with 5 fours and 2 sixes.
For Sri Lanka, Binura Fernando took 3 wickets, the highest for his side.
Sri Lanka lost wickets regularly while chasing the target and never looked like winning.
In the second over, Shamim started the downfall by running out Kusal Mendis with a direct throw. Soon after, Shariful Islam dismissed Kusal Perera and then Avishka Fernando a few balls later.
Mohammad Saifuddin took the wicket of Charith Asalanka in the final over of the powerplay. Sri Lanka were in trouble at 30 runs for 4 wickets.
Pathum Nissanka and Dasun Shanaka tried to steady the innings with a 41-run partnership, but once Rishad Hossain broke through, Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets for just 23 runs.
Young leg-spinner Rishad took the wickets of Nissanka and Chamika Karunaratne in the same over. Nissanka was the top scorer for Sri Lanka with 32 runs.
Shanaka scored 20 before being dismissed by Mehidy, while Mustafizur Rahman sent Thikshana back to the pavilion. Saifuddin claimed his second wicket of the match, removing Vandersay.
In the 16th over, Rishad bowled out Binura Fernando, effectively finishing Sri Lanka’s innings.
The series decider will be played Wednesday at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium.
Brief scorecard
- Bangladesh: 177/7 in 20 overs (Tanzid 5, Parvez 0, Litton 76, Hridoy 31, Miraz 1, Shamim 48, Jaker 3, Rishad 0, Saif 6; Thusara 4-0-30-1, Binura 4-0-31-3, Shanaka 2-0-23-0, Thikshana 4-0-30-1, Vandersay 4-0-40-0, Karunaratne 2-0-18-0)
- Sri Lanka: 94 all out in 15.2 overs (Nissanka 32, Mendis 8, Perera 0, Avishka 2, Asalanka 5, Shanaka 20, Karunaratne 0, Vandersay 8, Thikshana 6, Binura 6, Thusara 0; Shariful 3-0-12-2, Saifuddin 3-0-21-2, Mustafizur 3-0-14-1, Miraz 3-0-26-1, Rishad 3.2-0-18-3)
Result: Bangladesh won by 83 runs
Series: 1-1 in the three-match series
Man of the Match: Litton Kumar Das
