In a terrible batting display caused mainly by the frontline batsmen trying to hit almost every ball to the boundary as if they were in a big hurry, Sri Lanka was simply blown off by a highly resurgent Bangladesh side that showcased brilliant smart cricket with the bowlers displaying the snuffing out depth that proved too much for a disorganised lot to winning handsomely by 8 wickets on a tremendous 4 for 11 Player of the Match act by Mehedi Hasan which was driven home to the hilt by opening batsman Tanzid Hasan’s unbeaten 73 off just 47 balls in taking the Lankan attack to the cleaners in Bangladesh score of 133 for 2 wickets off 16.3 overs in making light of the hosts 132 for 7 off 20 to coming from behind to clinch the 3-match T20 series 2-1 after losing the first one much to the disappointment of a capacity home crowd yesterday at the R.

Pathum Nissanka top scored with 46 off 39 after Kusal Mendis had been dismissed for 6 by Shoriful Islam, who had him caught by Towhid Hridoy, but how Nissanka was trying to force the Bangladesh bowling was evident of the big hurry the Lankans were in, which mainly caused their downfall.

The ball by which Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka was clean bowled by Mehedi beat him all ends up with Asalanka taken by total surprise, jerking his bat down to a good length ball in unpreparedness, lacking the required footwork to deal with such a delivery.

While the Lankan skipper’s dismissal was a stark reminder to him to get back to his homework to work on his front foot and back foot bat-foot movement rhythm that also showed a need to work on an oversized body, the advent of former captain Dasun Shanaka at No 6 to lifting the Lankan innings from the doldrums of 4 for 49 and 6 for 88 into the 14th over was indeed a praiseworthy 35 off 25 as the gangling pinch hitter rode the last over by Shoriful Islam bathed in two sixes and equal number of boundaries after Maheesh Theekshana had taken a single off the first delivery.

By and large, the team selections left much to be debated, particularly the notable sidelining of spin bowling all-rounder Dunith Wellala, who not only for yesterday’s decisive game,ame gave a young match-winning reputation at this venue, having bowled Sri Lanka to a telling series triumph over the high-riding India. In that context, the contention of skipper Asalanka and head coach Sanath Jayasuriya that Wellalage’s inclusion depended on how the pitch conditions would be is questionable because the wicket has been traditionally spin-friendly on a wearing-off surface.

Bangladesh 133 for 2 (Tanzid 73, Litton 32, Mendis 1-21) beat Sri Lanka 132 for 7 (Nissanka 46, Shanaka 35, Mehedi 4-11) by eight wickets