Bangladesh and Sri Lanka clashed in an intense first T20I match at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, delivering cricket fans a thrilling contest that went down to the wire. The visiting team managed to secure a narrow victory by just three runs in a high-scoring encounter.
Shoriful Islam grabs eyeballs with ‘timed-out’ celebration
The match’s highlight came early in Sri Lanka’s innings when Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam dismissed opener Avishka Fernando for just four runs. What followed was an unforgettable moment as Shoriful celebrated with a ‘timed-out’ gesture aimed at Sri Lankan veteran Angelo Mathews.
Notably, this celebration harked back to the ODI World Cup 2023, where Mathews had famously used the same ‘timed-out’ gesture after dismissing Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan. In that match, Mathews himself was dismissed due to a broken helmet strap, leading to Bangladesh successfully appealing for a timed-out decision.
Here is the video:
Time badal gaya, par ‘Timeout’ celebration nahin badla 😂
.
.#BANvsSL #FanCode pic.twitter.com/xdopmoasL9
— FanCode (@FanCode) March 4, 2024
Also READ: Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto reveals the reason behind his team’s close defeat against Sri Lanka in 1st T20I
Sri Lanka sets a challenging target
After being asked to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a formidable total of 206/3 in their allotted 20 overs, led by impressive performances from Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Charith Asalanka. Samarawickrama top-scored with an unbeaten 61 off 48 deliveries, supported by Mendis (59) and Asalanka (44 not out).
Bangladesh’s valiant effort falls short
In response, Bangladesh put up a spirited chase, with Jaker Ali‘s 69 off 34 balls and Mahmudullah‘s 54 anchoring the innings. However, despite their efforts, Bangladesh couldn’t quite cross the finish line, falling just three runs short in a nail-biting finish.
Also READ: BAN vs SL 2024, T20I Series – Broadcast, Live Streaming details – When and where to watch in India, USA, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & other nations
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
