Bangladesh made history on a memorable night at the R. Premadasa Stadium, sealing their first-ever T20I series victory over Sri Lanka with a commanding eight-wicket win in the final match. Powered by a dazzling all-round display, the visitors chased down 133 in just 16.3 overs to underline their growing prowess in the shortest format.
On a sluggish surface that tested both batters and bowlers, it was Mahedi Hasan who emerged as the architect of Sri Lanka’s downfall. The off-spinner delivered a career-best performance, claiming 4 for 11 and ripping through the middle order after Sri Lanka had stumbled to early losses.
Last few ODIs here we saw the ball was spinning. I was just trying to get good lines and lengths. The new ball also spun a bit, so I wanted to put it in good areas.
Pathum Nissanka fought a lone battle, attempting to anchor the innings after the hosts lost wickets in clusters. But with little support from the middle order, Sri Lanka could only limp to 132 for 9—far below par on a ground known for defending totals.
Tanzid Hasan Tamim then made sure Bangladesh’s chase never lost momentum. The young opener played with maturity beyond his years, striking crisp boundaries and rotating the strike smartly. His partnership with Litton Das set the platform for an untroubled finish, before skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto sealed the win with a flourish.
The way our team played, I’m very happy. The boys showed their character, especially after how badly we played the T20 earlier. I feel this is a big achievement for Bangladesh, but this win will boost our cricket and inspire the new generation. We have big dreams and this helps us.
Litton also explained the decision to include Mahedi in the XI over Mehidy Hasan Miraz: “I believed that this surface suited Mahedi, so that’s why he played. It’s not that Mehidy was a bad player, but it was about the surface.”
For Sri Lanka, the defeat was a sobering reminder of the work ahead as they build towards the T20 World Cup. Captain Charith Asalanka admitted that he may have misjudged conditions after choosing to bat first:
“My thinking was to bat first, get a good score and defend, because we like to defend—especially at the R. Premadasa,” Asalanka said. “But I also think I misread the pitch. We could have taken more responsibility in the middle with the bat. Definitely a huge disappointment, but this is sport and it can happen to any team. It’s important to look at the comeback.”
For Bangladesh, though, it was a night to savour: a first T20I series triumph over a major Asian rivalv— and a sign of bigger ambitions to come.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 132/9 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 41; Mahedi Hasan 4/11) Bangladesh 133/2 in 16.3 overs (Tanzid Hasan Tamim 55*, Litton Das 38) Bangladesh won by 8 wickets.
