T20 World Cup 2021, Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: Who won today's match?

Charith Asalanka (80* off 49) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (53 off 31) featured in a sizzling fifth-wicket stand of 86 as Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in Match 15 of the T20 World Cup 2021 in Sharjah.

Chasing 172 for victory, Sri Lanka were in trouble at 79 for 4. However, Asalanka and Rajapaksa’s counter-attack silenced Bangladesh’s roar. The fielding side did not help their cause as Liton Das dropped two catches at critical junctures in the match.

Bangladesh’s defence began strongly. Their decision to open the innings with left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed paid off instantly as the bowler knocked over Kusal Perera (1) in the first over. The Sri Lankan opener tried to sweep one from Ahmed that skidded on and had his stumps rattled.

Asalanka and Pathum Nissanka led the fightback for Sri Lanka with a brilliant counter-attack. Asalanka clubbed Ahmed for two sixes in his second over. The first was launched over wide long-off and the second clobbered over deep backward square leg.

Nissanka joined in by smacking Mahedi Hasan for two boundaries in the 6th over. After hoicking a length delivery over short fine-leg for four, he danced down the track and lofted the bowler for a maximum over wide long-on. Sri Lanka finished their powerplay on 54 for 1.

Experienced left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman was introduced in the next over but Asalanka took him on as well. After crunching a four through extra cover, he found another boundary via a thick edge that flew to the third-man boundary.

Shakib Al Hasan broke the threatening stand by cleaning up Sri Lankan opener Nissanka for 24. The Bangladesh veteran beat the batter's sweep with one that skidded through and became the leading wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup. The Bangladesh legend celebrated the achievement by breaching Avishka Fernando’s defence a couple of balls later. The struggling Sri Lankan batter played across to a length delivery and paid the price. At 71 for 3, Bangladesh were very much in the contest.

Just before the halfway stage, the bowling side gained the upper hand as Wanindu Hasaranga perished cheaply for 6, slogging Mohammad Saifuddin to a fielder in the deep.

With the equation getting tougher for Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa jumped down the track and deposited off-spinner Afif Hossain for a maximum over deep extra-cover. Rajapaksa could have perished in the same over but Liton Das let a catch slip through near the ropes and conceded a four as well. The eventful over also saw Asalanka bringing up a fine fifty off 32 balls.

Asalanka continued to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt. In the 14th over, he danced down the wicket to Mahmudullah and smacked him for a six over his head. Another maximum followed via a slog sweep between deep midwicket and deep square leg. Das then dropped another catch, this time of Asalanka at deep extra-cover as Bangladesh began feeling the pressure.

With 46 needed off 30, Rajapaksa launched a brutal assault on Saifuddin. The first three balls of the 16th over were crashed for 6, 6, and 4. The first delivery was dispatched over the fine-leg fence and the second slashed over deep midwicket. A four followed past short third man while the final ball went for another boundary. 22 runs came off the over, bringing the equation down to a run-a-ball.

Rajapaksa was bowled by Ahmed for 53 but Asalanka fittingly hit the winning runs as the Lankans got home with seven balls to spare.

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Naim, Rahim fifties take Bangladesh to 171 for 4

Mushfiqur Rahim took the attack to Sri Lankan bowlers. Pic: Getty Images

Contrasting fifties from Naim Sheikh (62 off 52) and Mushfiqur Rahim (57* off 37) guided Bangladesh to an impressive 171 for 4 after they were sent into bat by Sri Lanka. While Sheikh batted solidly and anchored the innings, Rahim shouldered the responsibility of lifting the run rate with some cracking strokes.

The duo featured in a third-wicket stand of 73 to put Bangladesh in a position of ascendancy. Sri Lanka’s bowlers were erratic, with Dushmantha Chameera setting the tone with consecutive no-balls in the third over of the innings.

Sheikh and Liton Das got Bangladesh off to a comfortable start, finding the odd boundary and rotating the strike. The openers guided Bangladesh to 38 for no loss after five overs. Sri Lankan speedster Lahiru Kumara broke the dangerous standing by having Das (16) caught at mid-off in the last over before the powerplay. The batter tried to loft the ball over the fielder but failed to get the elevation. Ugly scenes followed as Kumara and Das had a verbal altercation with neither willing to back out. Eventually, the duo had to be separated.

The next over by Charith Asalanka saw Sheikh and new batter Shakib Al Hasan combining to pick three boundaries. But Shakib’s (10) stay at the crease was short-lived. Trying to whip a back of a length delivery from Chamika Karunaratne, he failed to connect and had his leg-stump uprooted.

Mushfiqur came in with the intent to dominate. He slog-swept Wanindu Hasaranga for a six over deep midwicket and smashed a slower one from Binura Fernando for a maximum over deep square leg. Sheikh brought up his fifty off 44 balls, crunching an attempted yorker from Kumara straight down the ground for a boundary.

When Hasaranga was brought back in the 15th over, Mushfiqur welcomed him with back-to-back boundaries. After pulling out a slog-sweep to find the gap between deep square leg and deep midwicket, he smashed the next past short fine leg.

Sheikh’s fine innings ended on 62 when he top-edged a pull off Fernando. However, Mushfiqur carried on punishing the Lankan bowlers. He reached his fifty off 32 balls and took Bangladesh past 170 but smartly scooping the last ball of the innings from Chameera over the keeper.

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Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: Who won Player of the Match in today’s T20 World Cup 2021 match?

For Sri Lanka, Asalanka kept the chase alive with a defiant half-century. Following the loss of wickets, he ensured to take the team over the line with some fine big-hitting. Bhanuka Rajapaksa came in and broke Bangladesh’s rhythm, smashing 53 in 31.

Sheikh and Rahim excelled with the bat for Bangladesh with half-centuries. While the former lent solidity to the innings, the latter provided acceleration. Shakib failed with the bat but brought Bangladesh back into the contest with his twin strikes with the ball.

Asalanka was the easy choice for Player of the Match for his game-changing knock of 80 not out.