Sri Lanka's 8-match winning streak in the T20 Asia Cup has been ended, and Bangladesh secured its first win in four games against Sri Lanka in the UAE.
After suffering a heavy defeat to Sri Lanka in the group stage, Bangladesh regrouped impressively, opting to bowl first after winning the toss.
Chasing 169, Bangladesh looked comfortable needing 10 runs off 10 balls with seven wickets in hand, but Hridoy’s lbw dismissal to Dushmantha Chameera in the 19th over briefly turned the game.
Dasun Shanaka’s two strikes in the final over created late drama, before tail-ender Nasum Ahmed held his nerve, nudging a single off the penultimate ball to secure the win.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s bowlers had restricted Sri Lanka to 168/7 on a batting-friendly surface. Despite some sloppy fielding with three dropped chances, the target never looked out of reach once Saif and Hridoy took charge.
Saif gave Bangladesh the perfect launch, blasting 61 off 45 balls with two boundaries and four sixes in the Powerplay. Hridoy then anchored the chase with a mature 58 off 37, laced with four fours and two sixes, while also crossing the 1,000-run mark in T20 internationals.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, rued the absence of a specialist bowler, with part-timers forced to complete four overs, something Bangladesh capitalized on.
There was also an emotional subplot as young all-rounder Dunith Wellalage joined the side on the morning of the game, returning from Colombo after attending his father’s funeral on Thursday.
For Sri Lanka, former captain Shanaka’s blazing 64 off 37 was the standout, marking his first T20I fifty since January 2023.
