Sri Lanka commanded a 07-wicket victory in the first T20I match against Bangladesh held at Pallekele yesterday (July 11).
Bangladesh, invited to bat first by Sri Lanka, struggled early in their innings, losing their top three wickets for just 67 runs At the end of their 20 overs and posting a total of 154 for 5.
Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana claimed two wickets, while Dasun Shanaka bowled economically, conceding just 22 runs in his four overs and picking up one wicket.
In response, Sri Lanka’s opening pair, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, built a solid partnership of 78 runs for the first wicket.
The team scored 83 runs in the first six overs, marking their highest-ever powerplay total in T20 internationals. This surpassed their previous record of 75 runs against India in 2018.
Sri Lanka comfortably chased down the target in 19 overs, losing only three wickets in the process, and took a 1-0 lead in the series.