In a thrilling T20 World Cup 2024 encounter at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Bangladesh secured a narrow two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka. Opting to field first after winning the toss, Bangladesh’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Mustafizur Rahman (3/17) and Rishad Hossain (3/22), restricted Sri Lanka to a modest total of 124/9.
Sri Lanka’s batting struggled to gain momentum, with Pathum Nissanka providing a brief resistance with his 47 runs off 28 balls. However, the combined efforts of Bangladesh’s bowlers, especially in the middle overs, kept the pressure on, preventing Sri Lanka from posting a competitive score. Key dismissals by Mustafizur and Rishad further compounded Sri Lanka’s woes.
In reply, Bangladesh’s chase was anything but straightforward. Early wickets had them on the back foot, but Litton Das (36 off 38) and Towhid Hridoy (40 off 20) played crucial innings to stabilize the chase. Hridoy’s aggressive counter-attack included four sixes, shifting the momentum towards Bangladesh. Despite a late collapse triggered by disciplined Sri Lankan bowling, veteran Mahmudullah held his nerve, hitting the winning runs in the 19th over to ensure Bangladesh’s first-ever T20 World Cup win over Sri Lanka.
Key moments in the match included:
-Bangladesh’s clinical bowling, especially from Mustafizur and Rishad, which kept Sri Lanka’s total within reach.
-Litton Das’s calm approach and Towhid Hridoy’s explosive cameo, crucial in overcoming the early loss of wickets.
-The tense finish where Mahmudullah’s experience was pivotal in steering Bangladesh to victory despite Sri Lanka’s late fightback.
Post-match reflections highlighted Sri Lanka’s need to bolster their batting, as emphasized by their captain Wanindu Hasaranga, who lamented the lack of runs as a significant factor in their consecutive losses. Conversely, Bangladesh’s skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto praised his team’s perseverance and the crowd’s support, hoping to build on this victory in the upcoming matches.
