Lanka vs Bangladesh 2nd T20: Sri Lanka win last-ball thriller to seal series

Sachithra Senanakaye hit a boundary off the last ball as Sri Lanka secured a dramatic three-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second Twenty20 match in Chittagong on Friday to win the series 2-0.

Having bowled the hosts out for a paltry 120, Sri Lanka stuttered in their reply to lose six wickets for 50 runs by the 12th over at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium.

Veteran Kumar Sangakkara and Thisara Perera rebuilt for the world's top-ranked Twenty20 side with a 46-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

But when Sangakkara was snapped up at point off Rubel Hossain for 37, Sri Lanka still needed 25 to win off the last 20 balls.

Senanayake helped Perera (35 not out) inch closer to the target and then sealed the exciting win by pulling medium-pacer Farhad Reza for a boundary off the final delivery of the match.

Sri Lanka had also clinched a last-ball win in the first match at the same venue on Wednesday, leaving the hosts heartbroken for the second time in three days.

The series served as a warm-up for the World Twenty20 which opens in Bangladesh on March 16.

Earlier, sling-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga grabbed three wickets and seamer Nuwan Kulasekara and Senanayake chipped in with two wickets each to skittle Bangladesh in 19.5 overs.

Sabbir Rahman, a 22-year-old debutant, top-scored for Bangladesh with 26 before he was last man to be out. Anamul Haque made 24.

Left-handed Kusal Perera hit 21 of the 23-run opening stand with Tillakaratne Dilshan for Sri Lanka when he was leg-before trying to reverse sweep Shakib Al Hasan.

Dilshan was bowled by Arafat Sunny three balls later and Dinesh Chandimal fell leg-before to Mohammad Mahmudullah.

The hosts wrested the initiative as skipper Mashrafe Mortaza bowled Angelo Perera and had Angelo Mathews caught behind in one over to make it 46-5 at the half-way mark.

Nuwan Kulasekara ran himself out for two attempting a non-existant single, before Sangakkara and Thisara Perera joined hands to begin the rescue act.

Bangladesh's batting never recovered after losing openers Tamim Iqbal and Shamsur Rahman in the first two overs.

Senanayake broke Bangladesh's back with the wickets of Shakib (12) and Anamul in successive overs to reduce the hosts to 41-4 in the sixth.

It soon became 59-6 as Ajantha Mendis removed Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah was run out.

Sabbir and Mortaza, who hit 17 off 10 balls, took Bangladesh past the 100-run mark.

The two teams will begin a three-match one-day series in Dhaka on Monday.

SRI LANKA INNINGS

Sri Lanka registered yet another close victory to seal the Twenty20 International series 2-0 against Bangladesh.

In the second Twenty20, needing 121 to victory, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets at regular intervals but kept the scoreboard ticking as they reached the target in the final ball of the innings.

Kumar Sangakkara top scored with a gritty 37 while Thisara Perera provided the late fireworks to hit a 28-ball 35 to get past the target.

Earlier, Sri Lankan bowlers dominated from the start to restrict Bangladesh to 120 in 19.5 overs.

At one stage, Bangladesh were five for 41 and then seven for 80 never getting a partnership going.

Malinga bagged two in the last over as he finished with a three-wicket haul while Nuwan Kulasekara and Sachithra Senanayake took two wickets each.

For Bangladesh, Sabbir Rahman top scored with 26 while Anamul Haque hit a 17-ball 24.

A last ball boundary from Senanayake was the perfect way to wrap the match in Sri Lanka favour as they took the T20I series 2-0. SL 123-7 in 20 overs.

It's gone down the wire. Sri Lanka need nine from six balls. SL 112-7 in 19 overs.

Sri Lanka are 103-7 in 18 overs. Need 18 runs from two overs.

Sangakkara goes. Sri Lanka are 98-7 in 17 overs.

K Sangakkara c Tamim Iqbal b Rubel Hossain 37 (38b 1x4 1x6)

Sangakkara reaches 30. Perera on 20. SL 87-6 in 16 overs.

Sri Lanka have to ensure they don't lose any wickets here. SL 82-6 in 15 overs.

Focus on Sangakkara as Perera giving him the right support. SL 77-6 in 14 overs.

Sri Lanka are 69-6 in 13 overs. Sangakkara on 23.

That's another for Bangladesh. Mortaza gets his second. The visitors losing it from here. SL 50-6 in 11.1 overs.

Nuan Kulasekara run out 2 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Brilliant bowling from Mortaza. Sri Lanka losing wickets frequently. It's trouble for them. SL 46-5 in 10 overs.

Angelo Mathews c Anamul Haque b Mashrafe Mortaza 2 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Sri Lanka lose another. Angelo Perera is bowled by Mortaza. SL 42-4 in 9.1 overs.

Angelo Perera b Mashrafe Mortaza 4 (8b 0x4 0x6)

Sri Lanka 42-3 in nine overs.

Sri Lanka also losing wickets at regular intervals. That could be trouble chasing a small score. SL 32-3 in 7 overs.

Dinesh Chandimal lbw b Mahmudullah 3 (8b 0x4 0x6)

Sunny strikes in his first ball of the second over. SL 26-2 in 5 overs.

Tillakaratne Dilshan b Arafat Sunny 3 (6b 0x4 0x6)

Perera was doing well. It's a big wicket for Bangladesh to put brakes on the run flow. SL 23-1 in 3.5 overs.

Kusal Perera lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 21 (18b 3x4 1x6)

Two boundaries from Perera and Lanka race to 15-0 in 2 overs.

Dilshan and Kusal Perera open. SL 7-0 in 1 over.

BANGLADESH INNINGS

Rahman is out as Malinga bags his third. Ban 120 all out in 19.5 overs.

Sabbir Rahman c Kulasekara b Malinga 26 (36b 2x4 0x6)

Malinga takes his second wicket as Sunny departs. Ban 120-9 in 19.4 overs.

Arafat Sunny c Chandimal b Malinga 5 (6b 1x4 0x6)

A boundary of the last ball ensures Bangladesh reach 106-8 in 18 overs.

Mortaza was looking good giving some hopes of quick runs. He's gone to Malinga. 101-8 in 17.3 overs.

Mashrafe Mortaza b Malinga 17 (10b 4x4 0x6)

Bangladesh reach 100 in 17 overs. They have 18 balls to go and should look for at least 30 to 40 runs.

A welcome boundary and Bangladesh reach 91-7 in 16 overs.

Kulasekara takes his second wicket as Reza departs. Ban 80-7 in 14.5 overs.

Farhad Reza c Chandimal b Kulasekara 9 (14b 0x4 0x6)

Just four runs from that over. Ban 70-6 in 13 overs.

Bangaldesh struggling to score here. This could end up to be a low scoring match. Ban 66-6 in 12 overs.

That was the last thing Bangladesh wanted. A run out at this time of the game. Ban 59-6 in 10.3 overs.

Mahmudullah run out 9 (10b 1x4 0x6)

Bangladesh need a partnership. They have the score but without wickets it's not going to fetch them a big score. Ban 55-5 in 9 overs.

Bangladesh clearly losing the battle here. Another wicket and half the team is back in the hut. Ban 47-5 in 7.3 overs.

Nasir Hossain c Chandimal b Mendis 8 (13b 0x4 0x6)

Sri Lanka are in command here. Bangladesh have the runs but lost too many wickets. Ban 45-4 in 7 overs.

Some stunning catches on display here. Haque is gone after Perera takes a brilliant catch in the deep to give Senanayake his second wicket. Ban 41-4 in 5.3 overs.

Anamul Haque c Kusal Perera b Senanayake 24 (17b 2x4 2x6)

Kulashekara takes a stunning catch to send Shakib home. He is not able to believe what happened in the deep. Ban 35-3 in 3.2 overs.

Shakib Al Hasan c Kulasekara b Senanayake 12 (6b 3x4 0x6)

Bangladesh batsmen dealing in boundaries and sixes at the moment. Two early wickets did not deter their confidence as Shakib and Anamul scoring at will. Ban 35-2 in 3 overs.

Sri Lanka are having it their way. Tamim Iqbal goes for a big one but does not get the timing right to hole one to Mendis off Kulashekara bowling. Ban 3-2 in 1.2 overs.

Tamim Iqbal c Mendis b Kulasekara 2 (4b 0x4 0x6)

It's pace from the other side as Kulashekara prepares to bowl.

Sri Lanka' s stragegy to start bowling with Dilshan did the trick. There was a drop catch but they more than made up for that endind Rahman immediately.  Ban 3-0 in 0.5 overs.

Shamsur Rahman c Chandimal b Dilshan 1 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Dilshan to open bowling for Sri Lanka.Tamim Iqbal and Anamul Haque open batting for Bangladesh.

PREVIEW

Bangladesh have won the toss and chosen to bat first in the second Twenty20 internatinal against Sri Lanka at Chittagong on Friday.

Sri Lanka lead the three match series 1-0 after winning a last-ball thriller by two runs on Wednesday.

Bangladesh have made two changes with Sabbir Rahman and Mahmudullah coming in for Mithun Ali and Sohag Gazi.

Sri Lanka have made one change with Angelo Perera replacing Seekkuge Prasanna.

PLAYING XI

Bangladesh - Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Farhad Reza, Mahmudullah, Arafat Sunny, Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain

Sri Lanka: Tillkaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Angelo Perera, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga

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