Kusal Mendis Stars as Sri Lanka Beat Bangladesh in 1st T20I

On July 10, 2025, the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was electric as Sri Lanka took on Bangladesh in the first T20 of Bangladesh’s tour. The match was a thrilling display of bold batting, smart bowling, and standout moments, with Sri Lanka sealing a seven-wicket win, chasing down the target with six balls left. Kusal Mendis was the star of the show, earning Player of the Match for his superb 73 off 51 balls, which guided Sri Lanka to a commanding victory.

Bangladesh’s Positive Start and Collapse

Bangladesh, asked to bat first on a pitch that suited both batters and bowlers, came out with fire in their bellies, aiming to post a big score. Openers Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan got things rolling, piling on 46 runs in just 4.6 overs. Emon was in top gear, cracking 38 runs off 22 balls with five fours and a six, his strike rate a blazing 172.72. He went after Chamika Karunaratne, whose single over cost 8 runs. Tanzid played a calmer role, scoring 16 off 17 balls with two boundaries before Nuwan Thushara got him out in the fifth over, caught by Maheesh Theekshana.

This wicket gave Sri Lanka a small opening, but Bangladesh still looked dangerous. Things changed when Sri Lanka brought on their spinners. Jeffrey Vandersay struck in the eighth over, pinning Bangladesh captain Litton Das lbw for a slow 6 off 11 balls. Das, who’s been in a rough patch with a T20 average of 18.16 in his last 12 games, couldn’t steady the ship, leaving his team at 65/2. Emon’s big-hitting ended soon after, caught by Dasun Shanaka off Theekshana, bringing Bangladesh to 67/3 in 8.4 overs. These quick blows threw Bangladesh off track, forcing their middle order to dig in.

Mohammad Naim stood tall, playing an unbeaten 32 off 29 balls with a four and a six, keeping the innings together. Towhid Hridoy, though, couldn’t get going, managing just 10 runs off 13 balls before Kusal Mendis caught him off Shanaka in the 12th over, leaving Bangladesh at 89/4. Mehidy Hasan Miraz brought some fight, smashing 29 off 23 balls with four boundaries. His 46-run stand with Naim for the fifth wicket gave Bangladesh hope of a decent total. But Mehidy’s exit in the 18th over, caught by Charith Asalanka off Theekshana, slowed things down at 135/5.

Shamim Hossain provided a late burst, hammering an unbeaten 14 off 5 balls with two huge sixes, his strike rate a stunning 280.00. Alongside Naim’s cool-headed batting, Shamim helped add 19 runs in the final 10 balls, lifting Bangladesh to 154/5. They got 9 extras, including 5 byes and 3 leg byes. Sri Lanka’s bowlers spread the wickets around, with Theekshana the standout, grabbing 2/37 in 4 overs. Shanaka (1/22) and Vandersay (1/25) kept it tight, while Thushara and Binura Fernando gave away 32 and 22 runs. Sri Lanka’s sharp bowling made sure Bangladesh’s total was good but not out of reach.

Sri Lanka’s Easy Run Chase

Sri Lanka’s chase of 155 started with a bang, as openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis lit up the powerplay. They smashed 78 runs in just 4.4 overs, putting Bangladesh on the ropes early. Nissanka was on fire, blasting 42 off 16 balls with five fours and three sixes, his strike rate a jaw-dropping 262.50. He took Taskin Ahmed apart, who had a rough day, giving up 43 runs in 3 overs. Mendis backed him up, scoring quickly while letting Nissanka lead the charge. They hit 50 runs in just 19 balls, with 1 extra thrown in. The powerplay brought 83 runs for one wicket, giving Sri Lanka a massive advantage.

Bangladesh got a breakthrough in the fifth over when Mehidy Hasan Miraz had Nissanka caught by Rishad Hossain, ending his fiery knock. At 78/1, Sri Lanka were still in control, but the wicket gave Bangladesh a faint chance. Kusal Perera joined Mendis, and they added 42 runs for the second wicket, keeping the chase on course. Mendis, the heart of the innings, reached his fifty in 31 balls with three fours and three sixes, mixing smart play with bold shots. His 73 off 51 balls, at a strike rate of 143.13, was the key to the win, earning him Player of the Match.

Perera fell for 24 off 25 balls, caught by Litton Das off Rishad Hossain in the 13th over, with Sri Lanka at 120/2. This slowed things a bit, but the target was well within reach. Avishka Fernando came in, scoring a steady 11 off 17 balls without a boundary, making sure there were no slip-ups. Mendis kept the chase moving but fell in the 17th over, caught by Shamim Hossain off Mohammad Saifuddin, with Sri Lanka at 148/3, needing 7 runs off 16 balls. Captain Charith Asalanka closed it out with an unbeaten 8 off 5 balls, including a six, finishing the job at 159/3 in 19 overs.

Their run rate of 8.36 showed how easily they handled the chase. Bangladesh’s bowlers gave away just one extra (a leg bye), but they couldn’t stop the flow. Saifuddin (1/22) and Rishad Hossain (1/24) bowled well, but Taskin Ahmed’s 0/43 and Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s 0/34 hurt them. Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1/24) tried to stem the tide, but Nissanka and Mendis’s early onslaught was too much.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

The TCNI Magic Moment summed up Bangladesh’s batting woes in the first T20 at Pallekele on July 10, 2025. They got off to a great start but ended at 154/5. Openers Parvez Hossain Emon (38 off 22, 5 fours, 1 six) and Tanzid Hasan (16 off 17, 2 fours) raced to 46 in 4.6 overs, but Tanzid’s wicket, taken by Nuwan Thushara, started the trouble. Captain Litton Das scored just 6 off 11 balls before Jeffrey Vandersay got him lbw, leaving Bangladesh at 65/2.

Emon fell soon after, caught off Theekshana, making it 67/3 in 8.4 overs. Towhid Hridoy’s 10 off 13 balls ended with a catch by Mendis off Shanaka, leaving them at 89/4 in 12.3 overs. Mohammad Naim’s unbeaten 32 off 29 held things together, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 29 off 23 added some fight, but his dismissal in the 18th over hurt. Shamim Hossain’s 14 not out off 5 balls, with two sixes, gave a late lift, but Theekshana’s 2/37 kept Bangladesh from running away.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Kusal Mendis was TCNI’s Hero of the Day for his match-winning 73 off 51 balls in Sri Lanka’s chase of 155. With a strike rate of 143.13, he hit five fours and three sixes, leading Sri Lanka to 159/3 in 19 overs for a seven-wicket win. He and Pathum Nissanka, who smashed 42 off 16 balls, put on 78 runs in 4.4 overs to start. While Nissanka went all-out, Mendis played smart, reaching his fifty in 31 balls.

After Nissanka’s wicket, he added 42 runs with Kusal Perera (24 off 25), pushing Sri Lanka past 100 in 8.1 overs. Mendis stayed cool against tight bowling from Saifuddin (1/22) and Rishad Hossain (1/24). He fell in the 17th over, caught off Saifuddin, with just 7 runs left. His impactful performance earned him Player of the Match, making him the game’s biggest star.