Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 2017: 3rd ODI, 5 talking points

Sri Lanka saved grace and the series with a complete performance in Colombo in the third and final ODI against Bangladesh. The series stayed level at 1-1 courtesy a fine show from the hosts, who compiled 280 after being asked to bat first.

Kusal Mendis struck a fine half-century after Danushka Gunathilaka and Upul Tharanga had laid out a fine platform. Thisara Perera combined muscle power with diligent stroke making as he helped Lanka to a fighting score.

Bangladesh started the chase in awful fashion, losing Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman and Mushfiqur Rahim within the first 24 deliveries of their innings. Shakib-al-Hasan and Soumya Sarkar did some reviving but Dilruwan Perera ripped the two out to bring back Lanka into the game. The chase never gained momentum after Shakib's dismissal although Mehedi Hasan continued to prove his potential with the willow, smashing a fifty in his maiden ODI innings.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 280/9 (Mendis 54, Perera 52, Mortaza 3/65) beat Bangladesh (Shakib 54, Mehedi Hasan 51, Kulasekara 4/37)

Take a look at the talking points from the final ODI of the three-match series.

#5 Kusal Mendis continues his run of form

There is no doubting that Kusal Mendis is the next big thing in Sri Lankan cricketer. The man with a real talent with the willow has shown enough in his fledgeling career thus far to suggest that he has all the ingredients to make it to the top tier of the world's best batsmen.

Barring some brain fades, Mendis has looked the part in each of his innings on the international stage. Here at Colombo, the youngster was quick to read the game situation, much like his hundred at Dambulla in the abandoned game. He concentrated on rotating the strike rather than going in search of extravagance.

Barring the back to back boundaries off Shakib-al-Hasan, Mendis stuck to his motto of running between the wickets for most of his runs. Sadly, he could not go much past a well-made half-century as he nicked the wily Mustafizur behind to the keeper.

#4 Thisara Perera's making a case for inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad

Perera is making the right noises ahead of the Champions Trophy

Thisara Perera was brought back into the Sri Lankan ODI team for this home series against the Tigers and has so far justified his call-up. A fine half-century in the first ODI, albeit in a losing cause, was followed up with another well made fifty here at Colombo.

The hard-hitting all-rounder looked well in control of his game as he concentrated on being there in the death overs. He put in a vital 45 run stand off 27 balls with Dilruwan Perera before being dismissed by Mashrafe Mortaza in the final over but his job was done by then.

Perera looks to be the missing link in Sri Lanka's lower order woes and with Gunaratne and Dilruwan Perera in as well, the thin lower order looks beefed up. But being the all-rounder he is, Perera should also be able to contribute more with the ball in hand.

#3 Run-out rule back in focus

The run-out rule was once again in focus when Chandimal was ruled out

Evin Lewis' run out against Pakistan a few days earlier triggered a controversy surrounding the old run-out rule and Colombo contributed its bit when Chandimal was at the centre of a lot of unwanted attention.

The Lankan middle-order batsman had a major portion of his body behind the line after initially grounding his bat. But in the brief moment he lifted the bat, Rahim dislodged the bails and the umpire ruled the batsman out.

However, the rule is soon to be changed as ICC has come up with a new rule which states that a batsman, who has once grounded his bat past the crease, cannot be given run-out for lifting his bat again when the bails are dislodged. If this were in place today, Chandimal wouldn't have been given out.

#2 Dilruwan Perera cuts short the Bangladesh party

Dilruwan Perera made crucial inroads into the Bangladesh middle-order

The Sri Lankan off-spinner was a major thorn in the flesh for Bangladesh during the Test series and proved as much in coloured clothing as he ripped open the Bangladesh middle order with crucial strikes in the third ODI.

The wily off-spinner entered the bowling attack when Shakib-al-Hasan and Soumya Sarkar were reviving the visitors from a top order slump. He had Sarkar stumped with a ball that turned, drifted and fooled the batsman in flight. Now that is everything an off-spinner dreams of in a delivery to cut short an enterprising innings.

But the offie wasn't done yet and landed the decisive blow when he had Shakib caught for 54. The Bangladesh chase, which was solely dependent on Shakib after the early loss of wickets, was well and truly nipped in the bud by Perera.

#1 Sri Lanka put in a complete bowling performance

Sri Lanka put in a memorable bowling performance

If Graham Ford wanted anything before this ODI series, it was a disciplined, well-oiled performance from his bowlers. That did not happen in the first ODI as Bangladesh milked all their bowlers to race to a 300+ score. Sri Lanka never got to bowl in the second outing and came to Colombo needing to put in a confidence boosting show with the ball.

The experienced hands of Nuwan Kulasekara led the attack and showed the way with two early wickets. Lakmal chipped in with the vital wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim before Dilruwan Perera snapped the Bangladesh chase with twin strikes separated by some smart bowling from Seekkuge Prasanna to get rid of Mossadek Hossain. Kulasekara took two more at the end to finish with four in the game.

It was a truly remarkable turnaround from the carting dished out to them in the opening ODI. There was some sharp fielding to aid the super performance with the ball that would give the Lankans a huge dose of confidence going into the Champions Trophy in England.