Sri Lanka win first T20 by six wickets

Thisara Perera and Dashun Shanaka played powerful knocks, picking up runs in quick time to ensure an easy victory for the Sri Lankans in the first T20 of the two-match series against Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka reached the target with six wickets and 20 balls to spare as they went up 1-0 in the two match series. 

Shanaka blazed an unbeaten 42 off 24 balls while Perera remained not out on an 18-ball 39 as Tigers bowlers were smashed to all corners of the park.

Earlier, Sri Lanka were off to a flier as thanks left-hander Danushka Gunathilaka, who raced to 30 off 15 deliveries and Kusal Mendis, who was batting on 21. The duo ensured that Lankans reach their first 50 inside just five overs but debutant Nazmul removed Gunathilaka, out stumped in the fifth over to make a breakthrough for the Tigers.

Mendis then unleashed fury in the next over and Mustafizur Rahman was on the receiving end as the batsman struck three boundaries on the trot off the first three deliveries of the sixth over. 

Mendis continued to take the game away from the Tigers and he reached his fifty in style with a six off Afif to bring up his first T20 fifty. The off-spinner however got his revenge as Mendis went for a big one but was holed out at long-off in the eight over. 

Nazmul got his second wicket when he removed Upul Tharanga in the ninth over with the Lanka score at 92. Rubel then got the scalp of Niroshan Dickwella in the twelfth over to bring the Tigers back into the game but Perera and Shanaka ensured that Sri Lanka reached home without breaking a sweat.

The Daily Star