Career-best contributions from Mahedi Hasan and Tanzid Hasan powered Bangladesh to a series-winning eight-wicket win against Sri Lanka . The home side had blown away Bangladesh in the first game in Pallekele, but the visitors fought back in the second game in Dambulla, before this win in Colombo. Bangladesh have previously only once turned around from 1-0 down to win a three-match T20I series, against West Indies seven years ago.

Mahedi took 4 for 11, in a spell that never let Sri Lanka change gears due to constant wickets. This was an apt reward for a bowler who had been out of the side for Bangladesh’s previous four T20Is. By the time his spell was over, Bangladesh were in control, and they seldom looked in trouble thereafter.

Tanzid cracked an unbeaten 47-ball 73, ensuring Bangladesh strolled through their 133-run chase. He struck six sixes, all of them with a bit of class and nonchalance.

Sri Lanka had earlier chosen to bat at the toss – an unusual decision given the lopsided results for sides batting first at the R Premadasa Stadium. After the quick boundaries Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis hit in the match’s first over, captain Charith Asalanka may have thought he had made the right call. As it turned out, by the end of the evening, the home side has lost every time they decided to bat first at this ground  in night matches.

The game began at top speed. Shoriful Islam removed Kusal Mendis in the first over, caught at the deep backward square leg boundary. Mahedi, who had replaced Mehidy Hasan Miraz for this game, jumped into action from the other end. He had Kusal Perera caught at slip for a duck.

Chandimal, returning to the T20I side after more than three years, survived two out of three chances in the space of six balls – Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Mustafizur Rahman dropped catches off his bat. Soon after, Chandimal top-edged Mahedi with a slog and was caught at point.

Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka was next to go, on the receiving end of what might have been the ball of the series. Mahedi got the ball to turn just enough to beat Asalanka’s backfoot push, flattening the off-stump.

Nissanka was dismissed for 46, Mahedi completing a simple caught-and-bowled chance to claim his fourth wicket. Sri Lanka were 66 for 5 in the 11th over.

Bangladesh kept picking up Sri Lanka’s wickets through the middle and death overs, but could not dislodge Dasun Shanaka. He unleashed his shots in the last over, taking 22 off Shoriful, who finished with 1 for 50 from his four overs.

Shanaka hammered two fours and two sixes – one of which was hit out of the stadium – as the packed Khettarama crowd finally cleared their collective throats. The big-hitting bumped up Sri Lanka’s total to 132 for 7 in 20 overs, which had looked unlikely for most of an otherwise placid innings.

Nuwan Thushara gave Sri Lanka what they needed to defend 132: a wicket off the first ball. Thusara trapped Parvez Hossain Emon lbw with an in-dipper, which he perhaps telegraphed with his slinging action, but it dipped late on Emon. Litton Das survived another lbw appeal with a review in the next over, but he was constantly looking for boundaries.

Bangladesh’s counterattack came to the fore with Tanzid hitting Maheesh Theekshana over extra cover for the first six. Litton clattered Fernando over square-leg in the next over, before Tanzid launched Asalanka for two straight sixes. Tanzid’s fourth six was a slog against a Jeffrey Vandersay floater.

By the eighth over, Bangladesh had sped to 71 for 1.

Kamindu Mendis ended the second-wicket stand worth 74 runs when he had Litton caught at the deep square-leg boundary. Litton made 32 off 26 balls with two fours and a six – an excellent supporting act for the marauding Tanjid.

Tanjid didn’t let Litton’s dismissal – against the run of play – slow him down, as he struck a fifth six. He then followed it up with a tickled boundary to reach his fifth half-century in T20Is. Tanzid’s attack had Sri Lanka in disarray, who were guilty of several misfields. Theekshana dropped Tanzid on 60 – a straightforward chance he fluffed trying to run in too hard.

But the over ended with Tanzid hammering Kamindu for his sixth six. Hridoy also struck a maximum of his own, before taking the winning run in the 17th over.

Tanzid let out a loud yelp, although it was in front of a quiet home crowd.

Brief scores:
Bangladesh 133 for 2 in 16.3 overs (Tanzid Hasan 73*, Litton Das 32, Towhid Heidoy 27*; Nuwan Thushara 1-25, Kamindu Mendis 1-21) beat Sri Lanka 132 for 7 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 46, Kamindu Mendis 21, Dasun  Shanaka 35*;  Shoriful Islam 1-50, Mahedi Hasan  4-11, Mustafizur Rahman 1-17, Shamim Hosain 1-10) by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]