Match summary
A 16-run defense on a slow Colombo pitch flipped a series that looked like slipping away. Bangladesh, hammered by 77 runs in the opener, clawed back to beat Sri Lanka in the second ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium and level the series 1-1. The visitors were bowled out for 248 in 45.5 overs, then rolled Sri Lanka for 232 in 48.5 overs thanks to a superb spell from Tanvir Islam.
Bangladesh won the toss, chose to bat, and backed their top order to set the tone. The surface had that familiar Premadasa feel—tacky early, slow through the middle, with the odd ball gripping. It demanded patience, soft hands, and a plan for the last 10 overs. Bangladesh didn’t get everything right, but they held their nerve better when it counted.
The innings wobbled early with two quick wickets inside the powerplay, which handed control to Sri Lanka’s seamers. Parvez Hossain Emon steadied things with clean, low-risk batting. He picked gaps in front of square, took singles on offer, and punished width when it came. His 67 became the anchor around which Bangladesh rebuilt.
Towhid Hridoy matched that composure with 51, nudging the rate along and keeping the middle overs tidy. Their stand dragged Bangladesh away from danger and into a score they could work with. They didn’t explode, but on this pitch a par score was never going to look pretty. It was about getting to something defendable and trusting the bowlers.
The squeeze returned after those half-centuries. Sri Lanka’s change of pace worked; cutters held in the surface, and the short-of-a-length cross-seam deliveries were hard to hit cleanly. Bangladesh lost wickets trying to kick on and were bowled out in the 46th over. That late stumble left 20 to 25 runs on the table, but 248 still carried weight given the conditions.
Chasing 249, Sri Lanka’s start was crisp. The ball came on just enough in the powerplay for clean drives, and the hosts kept ahead of the rate without taking risks. Kusal Mendis, busy as always behind the stumps and then with the bat, made 56 with sharp running and trademark clips. Janith Liyanage was even better, crafting a calm 78 that held the chase together.
Bangladesh needed a spark, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib lit it. He hit a hard length, moved the ball off the seam, and prised out two top-order wickets that forced Sri Lanka to reset. The message from the visitors was clear: take pace off, attack the stumps, and make the batters hit against the turn.
Then the game turned. Tanvir Islam came on, found immediate grip, and kept the stumps in play. He mixed lengths, dragged batters across the crease with drift, and got breakthroughs just as partnerships simmered. His 10-over spell returned 5 for 39, shredding the middle and lower order. Sri Lanka kept finding ways to rebuild, only to lose a wicket to a ball that held or a slider that skidded on.
Mendis and Liyanage were the pillars, but Bangladesh kept the field tight—rings set to choke singles, deep men just right for the mis-hit. A couple of sharp catches and tidy ground work meant there were no second chances. By the time the tail walked in, the asking rate was awkward and the ball was tired. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 232 with seven balls left, 16 runs shy.
For a team that looked flat two days ago, this was a character win. Bangladesh’s batting was disciplined enough to post a total, and their bowling held shape under pressure. The left-arm spin option became the difference on a surface that rewarded control over speed. Sri Lanka will rue the lack of a third major contribution with the bat to back Liyanage and Mendis.
- Bangladesh 248 all out (45.5 overs): Parvez Hossain Emon 67, Towhid Hridoy 51
- Sri Lanka 232 all out (48.5 overs): Janith Liyanage 78, Kusal Mendis 56
- Tanvir Islam 5/39; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2 wickets
- Bangladesh won by 16 runs; series level 1-1
What stood out was the control in Bangladesh’s middle-overs plan. They accepted twos over boundaries, protected the straight fence, and trusted spin to bowl into the pitch. It wasn’t flashy; it was relentless. Sri Lanka had to keep manufacturing pace off the back foot, and that’s hard to do when the ball refuses to come on.
Emon’s knock deserves a nod beyond the numbers. He absorbed pressure early and never let the game rush him. Hridoy’s 51 had similar value—a clean read of the pitch, a willingness to go deep, and a refusal to give the bowlers a cheap wicket. Without those two, 248 would have been a long way off.
On the flip side, Sri Lanka’s bowling did most things right. They used the big square boundaries smartly, and their change-ups worked late to end Bangladesh’s innings early. With the bat, though, they couldn’t convert platform into finish. One more steady hand alongside Liyanage and Mendis would likely have flipped the result.
What this means for the decider
The series moves to Pallekele on Tuesday, July 8, with everything on the line. Conditions there usually offer truer bounce and a bit more pace, especially under lights. That could bring seamers deeper into the game and change how both captains time their spinners. Bangladesh will not mind that; Tanzim Hasan Sakib looked sharp, and the attack has enough variety to adapt.
Selection calls get interesting now. Bangladesh might stick with the winning balance and back their top order to cash in if Pallekele plays quicker. Sri Lanka may revisit the batting order to better protect Liyanage and Mendis, who carried the load in Colombo. An extra finisher or a flexible floater could help them close chases on friendlier batting surfaces.
The themes are set. Bangladesh’s spin discipline versus Sri Lanka’s top-order fluency. Fielding efficiency and batting tempo in the last 15 overs. And nerve—because both sides felt the squeeze in Colombo and only one handled the clutch moments. After a bruising first ODI and a gritty second, the decider has the makings of a tight, high-stakes finish.
For Bangladesh, this win is more than just a scoreline correction; it’s proof that their bowling group can control games outside Dhaka too. For Sri Lanka, it’s a reminder that tidy starts need ruthless endings. Pallekele will ask different questions, but the same basics—strike rotation, catching, and the right pace off the ball—will answer them.
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