Sri Lanka blitzed their way to victory by six wickets in the first T20I in Mirpur continuing their fine tour of Bangladesh.
At the halfway point the hosts will have been pleased with their ominous total of 193/5, after swashbuckling half centuries from Soumya Sarkar (51) and Mushfiqur Rahim (66*).
Jeevan Mendis was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers nabbing two scalps at the cost of 21 runs in his three overs including the wicket of Sarkar.
It meant that the tourists had to make their highest successful chase in this format, and they did so with aplomb.
Kusal Mendis (53) and Danushka Gunathilaka (30) set the tone, racing to fifty inside the first five overs, before Dasun Shanaka (42*) and Thisara Perera (39*) finished it off with some brutal hitting.
Debutant Nazmul Islam was the only bowler spared an absolute mauling by the rampant Sri Lanka batsman with his four overs going for 25 runs while he also bagged a brace of wickets.
In the end they cantered to the target with more than three overs left in the bank, a remarkable effort under lights.
It was a day to forget for the bowlers, but we saw some incredible ball striking from both sides.
Let’s hope for more entertainment on Sunday, when this tour finishes in Sylhet.
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