Pathum Nissanka’s explosive 113-ball 114, complete with 13 fours and 3 sixes, and Charith Asalanka’s easy 91 off 93 set the stage for Sri Lanka to defeat Bangladesh in the second ODI in Chattogram and tie the series. Towhid Hridoy and Soumya Sarkar’s magnificent batting efforts were completely undone by the visiting team, who finished the chase with 17 balls and three wickets remaining after a slight late scare.
Bangladesh got off to a fantastic start with the bat thanks to a robust 75-run partnership between Sarkar and the game’s centurion, Najmul Hossain Shanto, despite Litton Das’s removal in the opening over. But Dilshan Madushanka dismissed the captain for forty, putting Hridoy and Sarkar together.
Before Sarkar was dismissed by Wanindu Hasaranga to break the stand, the two put up 55 for the third wicket. Bangladesh faltered at this phase, going from 130 for 2 in the 22nd over to 189 for 6 in the 36th, with cheap wickets falling to Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Hridoy, who amassed an unbroken 96 off 102, was well-supported by Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Shakib, the No. 8 and 9 batsmen for Bangladesh. Hridoy smashed three fours and five sixes. With corresponding values of 47 and 50, the two stands helped Bangladesh reach 286 for 7.
In the seventh over, the hosts had Sri Lanka at 43 for 3, seemingly certain to win the series. But after that, openers Nissanka and Asalanka pulled Sri Lanka out of their predicament and added a brilliant counterattacking partnership that shattered Bangladesh’s aspirations. After hitting a double century and a century against Afghanistan in the previous month, Nissanka achieved his sixth ODI century in the 32nd over, adding yet another triple-figure total to his record. With a six to reach his fifty and four hits in total, Asalanka was playing at his ferocious best.
When their flourish came to an abrupt end in the 37th over, Sri Lanka was still coasting along. Nissanka was caught off guard by Mehidy Hasan Miraz during a slog sweep. After an over, Asalanka was caught behind by Taskin Ahmed, putting Sri Lanka in a position to win with just 52 runs remaining. Hasaranga prevented Bangladesh from pulling off a late heist by contributing crucial runs with the bat after taking four wickets in the opening innings.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 287/7 in 47.1 overs (Pathum Nissanka 114, Charith Asalanka 91; Shoriful Islam 2-49, Taskin Ahmed 2-49) defeated Bangladesh 286/7 in 50 overs (Towhid Hridoy 96, Soumya Sarkar 68; Wanindu Hasaranga 4-45) by 3 wickets.
