Sri Lanka Stun Bangladesh in T20

Pallekele: Kusal Perera and Jeevan Mendis starred with the bat as Sri Lanka overcame Bangladesh by 17 runs in the one-off T20I in Pallekele on Sunday.

Sri Lanka hold onto their No.1 ranking in T20Is for this year. In the end, Bangladesh did well to come close to the Sri Lankan total and this was also their highest total batting second in T20Is. 199 was always going to be a tough chase, but Mohammad Ashraful (43) started off well with some big hits.

Bangladesh falling short by 17 runs. They conceded 19 wides to Sri Lanka's five, leaked 55 runs from overs 17 to 19 in Sri Lanka's innings, and Ashraful (43) got a poor decision.

Kusal Perera is the Man of the Match for scoring 64 off 44 balls.

Earlier, Kusal Perera cracked a 44-ball 64 to help Sri Lanka post a challenging 198-5.

The opener hit four sixes and five fours in his quickfire knock before falling in the 12th over, caught by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim off off-spinner Mohammad Mahmudullah.

Jeevan Mendis and Angelo Mathews then put on 66 for the fifth wicket off just 5.5 overs to help their side set a stiff target.

Mendis hit three sixes, including two in an over from left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, and two fours in his 17-ball 37 while Mathews contributed an unbeaten 30 off 27 deliveries.

Sri Lanka plundered 32 off the last 13 balls, with Thisara Perera making a seven-ball 22 not out with two sixes and as many fours.

The hosts made a brisk start after being put in to bat as they raced to 52 in the opening five overs, with Kusal Perera playing attacking shots against both pace and spin.

Perera hit seamer Shahadat Hossain for two fours and a six in the first over of the match before smashing two more sixes, one each off spinners Sohag Gazi and Razzak.

He completed his maiden T20 half-century in the eighth over with two runs to mid-wicket off Mahmudullah.

Brief scores
Sri Lanka 198 for 5 (MDKJ Perera 64, Mendis 37, Mathews 30*)
Bangladesh 181 for 7 (Mohammad Ashraful 43, Mushfiqur Rahim 39)
Result Sri Lanka won by 17 runs
MOM Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka)