For the first time since 2019, Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh in a bilateral ODI series, sealing a commanding 99-run victory in the third and final ODI on Tuesday (8th July) in Pallekele.
In-form Kusal Mendis starred with the bat, smashing his sixth ODI century and sharing a superb 124-run partnership with Charith Asalanka to help Sri Lanka post 285 for 7 after opting to bat first.
With the ball, Asitha Fernando and Dushmantha Chameera provided the perfect start, striking early to reduce Bangladesh to 20 for 2 inside four overs. Fernando struck first, dismissing Tanzid Hasan as the ball clipped his pads and ricocheted onto the stumps. In the very next over, Chameera bowled Najmul Hossain Shanto for a three-ball duck.
Parvez Hossain and Towhid Hridoy attempted to steady the chase with a 42-run stand, but Dunith Wellalage broke through by removing the opener for 28. Skipper Mehidy Hasan looked promising but fell to Wellalage as his second scalp, while Shamim Hossain was stumped by Kusal Mendis off Wanindu Hasaranga, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 124 for 5.
Hridoy fought hard with a gritty half-century, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept striking at regular intervals. Chameera returned to clean him up and dismissed Tanzim Hasan in his next over. Fernando was brought back into the attack and picked up two quick wickets of Taskin Ahmed and Jaker Ali before Hasaranga wrapped up the innings to complete an all-round bowling effort.
Earlier in the day, the hosts suffered an early blow as Nishan Madushka was caught at slip off Tanzim Hasan with just 13 runs on the board in 3.1 overs. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis then steadied the innings, stitching together a 56-run stand for the second wicket. The partnership ended when Tanvir Islam removed Nissanka for 35, as he struggled to find fluency at the crease.
Kamindu Mendis too got a start but failed to convert, leaving Sri Lanka at 100 for 3. Kusal Mendis was then joined by skipper Charith Asalanka, and the pair rebuilt with a superb century stand for the fourth wicket. Asalanka contributed another valuable half-century, while Mendis went on to convert his fifty into a well-crafted hundred—his sixth in ODIs and second against Bangladesh.
Taskin Ahmed eventually broke the partnership, dismissing Asalanka for 58 as he holed out to long-on. Janith Liyanage’s stay was cut short in unfortunate fashion, hit wicket off Mehidy Hasan, before Dunith Wellalage became Taskin’s second scalp, reducing Sri Lanka to 259 for 7.
Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera added useful runs at the death, putting together an unbeaten 26-run stand off 19 balls. Hasaranga remained not out on 18 off 14, though he appeared to struggle with a muscle issue while running in the final over.
From Bangladesh’s bowling perspective, Mehidy Hasan was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 48 from his 10 overs. Interestingly, Tanzim Hasan bowled just six overs, picking up 1 for 41, possibly due to a fitness concern that prevented him from completing his full quota.
Earlier, Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bat first as the hosts stuck with the same playing XI, heading into the series decider.
For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed returned to the side after being rested for the previous game, replacing Hasan Mahmud in the only change for the visitors.
The match officials for the final ODI between are wearing black armbands as a mark of respect for Bismillah Jan Shinwari, a member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires, who passed away recently.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c Parvez Hossain Emon b Tanvir Islam | 35 | 47 | 4 | 0 | 74.47 |
| Nishan Madushka | c Najmul Hossain Shanto b Tanzim Hasan Sakib | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16.67 |
| Kusal Mendis | c & b Shamim Hossain | 124 | 114 | 18 | 0 | 108.77 |
| Kamindu Mendis | lbw b Mehidy Hasan Miraz | 16 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Charith Asalanka | c Mehidy Hasan Miraz b Taskin Ahamed | 58 | 68 | 9 | 0 | 85.29 |
| Janith Liyanage | hit-wicket b Mehidy Hasan Miraz | 12 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Dunith Wellalage | c Shamim Hossain b Taskin Ahamed | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | not out | 18 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 128.57 |
| Dushmantha Chameera | not out | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 125.00 |
| Extras | 5 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 0, w 3, pen 0) |
| Total | 285/7 (50 Overs, RR: 5.7) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taskin Ahamed | 10 | 0 | 51 | 2 | 5.10 | |
| Tanzim Hasan Sakib | 6 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 6.83 | |
| Tanvir Islam | 10 | 0 | 61 | 1 | 6.10 | |
| Mustafizur Rahman | 10 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 5.20 | |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz | 10 | 0 | 48 | 2 | 4.80 | |
| Shamim Hossain | 4 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 7.50 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parvez Hossain Emon | c Nishan Madushka b Dunith Wellalage | 28 | 44 | 4 | 0 | 63.64 |
| Tanzid Hasan | b Asitha Fernando | 17 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 130.77 |
| Najmul Hossain Shanto | b Dushmantha Chameera | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Towhid Hridoy | b Dushmantha Chameera | 51 | 78 | 3 | 1 | 65.38 |
| Mehidy Hasan Miraz | c Janith Liyanage b Dunith Wellalage | 28 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 112.00 |
| Shamim Hossain | st Kusal Mendis b Wanindu Hasaranga | 12 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Jaker Ali | b Asitha Fernando | 27 | 35 | 2 | 1 | 77.14 |
| Tanzim Hasan Sakib | c Kusal Mendis b Dushmantha Chameera | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 62.50 |
| Taskin Ahamed | b Asitha Fernando | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Tanvir Islam | c Nishan Madushka b Wanindu Hasaranga | 8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Mustafizur Rahman | not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 9 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 0, w 7, pen 0) |
| Total | 186/10 (39.4 Overs, RR: 4.69) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asitha Fernando | 7 | 0 | 33 | 3 | 4.71 | |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 8 | 1 | 51 | 3 | 6.38 | |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 6 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 3.00 | |
| Dunith Wellalage | 8 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 4.12 | |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 8.4 | 1 | 35 | 2 | 4.17 | |
| Kamindu Mendis | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7.00 | |
Teams:
Sri Lanka – Pathum Nissanka, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (C), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando
Bangladesh – Parvez Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (C), Jaker Ali (WK), Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman
 in Pallekele.){kind=link}