Sri Lanka batting coach Thilina Kandamby has called on Kusal Mendis to cash in on his form and convert flying starts into match-winning hundreds, ahead of the decisive third ODI against Bangladesh in Pallekele on Tuesday.

Mendis lit up the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday night with a whirlwind half-century, racing to the milestone off just 20 deliveries — the fastest fifty ever recorded at the venue, eclipsing Thisara Perera’s 23-ball blitz against England in 2014.

The right-hander was in sublime touch, cutting and pulling with authority while driving with finesse. At the time he reached fifty, 46 of his runs had come in boundaries — ten fours and a six — and Sri Lanka looked well on course to wrap up the 249-run chase inside 30 overs.

But once Mendis perished, the innings unravelled like a house of cards. The pitch, which had seemed a batting paradise moments earlier, suddenly appeared treacherous as Sri Lanka stumbled to a dramatic 16-run defeat. Mendis, known for making batting looks like a walk in the park, once again flattered to deceive.

“He gave us a cracking start, but he’s an experienced player and needs to understand the value of batting through the innings,” Kandamby told reporters ahead of the series decider. “If he gets a hundred, we win 90 to 95 percent of the time. When you’re in that kind of nick, it’s almost a crime to throw your wicket away. He could’ve gone on to make 150 or even 200.”

Sri Lanka had cruised to 75 for two inside ten overs, before the middle order lost its bearings against some crafty spin. Janith Liyanage’s late fireworks gave the home side a glimmer of hope, but it was too little, too late.

“Our middle order especially Charith and Kamindu got stuck in a shell,” Kandamby admitted. “You’ve got to give credit where it’s due. Their three spinners bowled tight lines and didn’t give much away. We’ve got plans in place and we’ll iron out those wrinkles at training.”

The batting coach also pointed out a lack of soft hands and sweep shots that cost them on a turning surface.

“You need to work the angles and rotate strike. Even when nudging to the leg-side, you’ve got to play with soft hands. On a pitch like that, the sweep and paddle sweep should’ve been part of the arsenal.”

Pallekele, traditionally a batsman’s paradise, is expected to dish out a belter of a surface for Tuesday’s finale. With both teams locked at one-all, there’s everything to play for.

Sri Lanka, still smarting from the disappointment of finishing ninth in the 2023 World Cup, have turned a corner since then. They have won six of their last eight ODI series and climbed to fourth in the ICC rankings. However, Kandamby insisted that the focus remains on performance rather than pressure.

“We’re not putting ourselves under the pump thinking about the series win,” he said. “We’re sticking to our processes. We know we’re a quality side. If we execute our plans, I don’t think the opposition can match us.”

Rex Clementine at Pallekele