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Nuwan Thushara’s hat-trick highlights Sri Lanka’s Thumping win over Bangladesh
Sri Lanka tour of Bangladesh (Third T20I)
Sri Lanka emerged victorious in the third and deciding match of the three-match T20 series against Bangladesh at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. The star of the match was pace bowler Nuwan Thushara, who delivered a sensational hat-trick that left the Bangladesh top order in disarray.
Chasing a target of 175, Bangladesh found themselves in trouble early on, losing five wickets within the first four overs. Thushara’s fiery spell accounted for three of those wickets, including the seasoned Mahmudullah. It was a remarkable performance by Thushara, who was playing only his eighth T20 match.
Prior to Thushara’s heroics, Dhananjaya de Silva had taken the first wicket by dismissing opener Liton Das. Bangladesh’s batting lineup struggled to recover from the early setbacks and eventually succumbed to a heavy defeat.
Towards the end of the innings, Rishad Hossain and Mahedi Hasan provided some consolation to the home crowd as they contributed 44 runs in the seventh wicket partnership.
However, the task of chasing the massive target had already become extremely difficult by then. Rishad displayed his power-hitting skills by hitting back-to-back sixes in the 11th over bowled by Hasaranga and again in the next over bowled by Maheesh Theekshana.
Mahedi Hasan fell victim to a tossed up delivery from Hasaranga, leaving Bangladesh at 76 for 7 in the fourteenth over. Despite Mahedi’s departure, Rishad continued to showcase his batting prowess by smashing three massive sixes over cow corner in the fifteenth over bowled by Theekshana, bringing up Bangladesh’s total to 100.
Rishad reached his fifty by launching another massive six over deep square leg in the sixteenth over bowled by Fernando. However, his sensational cameo of 53 runs off 30 balls came to an end in the seventeenth over, bowled by Theekshana, leaving Bangladesh at 117 for eight. Rishad’s innings included 7 sixes, the highest by any Bangladeshi batter in a T20 match.
In the eighth wicket partnership, Rishad and Taskin added 41 runs from 21 balls. Taskin also played a valuable cameo, scoring 31 runs off 21 balls before getting out in the last over. Despite the top order batters’ disappointing performance, Rishad and Taskin displayed determination and resilience, reducing the margin of defeat for Bangladesh.
Earlier after invited to bat first, Sri Lanka recorded a total of 174 for 7 in their innings, with opener Kusal Mendis playing an outstanding knock of 86 runs.
Taskin Ahmed provided Bangladesh with their first breakthrough in the fourth over, dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva for 8 runs. Sri Lanka managed to score 41 runs for the loss of 1 wicket during the powerplay. In the eighth over, Kamindu Mendis was caught by Shoriful off a delivery by Rishad Hossain, leaving Sri Lanka at 54 for 2. Wanindu Hasaranga joined Kusal Mendis in the middle and the two built a partnership of 59 runs off 31 balls. Mustafizur Rahman broke the partnership by dismissing Hasaranga. Shoriful took the wicket of Asalanka, but Kusal Mendis continued to score boundaries, posing a threat to the hosts. Taskin Ahmed once again played a crucial role in getting rid of Kusal Mendis, who was caught by Soumya Sarkar. Mendis scored 86 runs off 55 balls, including 6 boundaries and an equal number of sixes.
From their onwards Sri Lanka batters looked uncomfortable in the middle and finding it difficult to middle the ball.
However a quick fire of 8-ball 18 runs from Dasun Shanaka helped Sri Lanka reach the 170 run mark at the end of their allotted 20 overs.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka 174 for 7 (Kusal Mendis 86, Taskin Ahmed 2-25, Rishad 2-35)
Bangladesh 146 all out (Rishad 53, Taskin Ahmed 31, Nuwan Thushara 5-20, Wanindu Hasaranga 2-32)
Shammi Silva has been re-elected as the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president for the 2025-27 term, marking his fourth consecutive tenure at the helm of the nation’s cricket governing body. Silva secured the position uncontested at the 64th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Colombo on Monday.
A Controversial Yet Dominant Tenure
Silva’s leadership has not been without controversy. His previous term saw a high-profile clash with former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe in 2023, which led to an interim committee being appointed after Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the ICC ODI World Cup. This move resulted in ICC suspending SLC, which led to Sri Lanka losing the hosting rights for the U19 Men’s World Cup, which was later held in South Africa.
Despite these setbacks, Silva regained control after a court ruling reinstated his administration, and he was later appointed as the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in December 2023, replacing Jay Shah.
Challenges & Future Outlook
Sri Lanka Cricket has long been seen as a powerful and influential body, with internal politics often shaping its leadership. With financial mismanagement concerns highlighted in the Auditor General’s report, Silva’s administration faces the challenge of restoring credibility and ensuring better governance.
With the ICC ban lifted, Sri Lanka looks to rebuild its cricketing structure and improve performance on the international stage. The focus now shifts to upcoming bilateral series, the Asia Cup, and preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Stay tuned for more updates on Sri Lanka Cricket and the latest in the world of sports!
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has defended MS Dhoni’s late entry in the batting order, stating that the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman cannot play an extended innings at full intensity due to lingering knee concerns.
The 43-year-old Dhoni faced criticism after coming in at No. 9 during CSK’s 50-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, he batted at No. 7 when CSK required 54 off 25 balls but managed just 16 off 11 as his team fell short by six runs.
Fleming’s Explanation on Dhoni’s Role
Fleming emphasized that Dhoni carefully assesses the match situation before deciding when to bat.
“It’s all about timing. MS judges his body and situation. His knees aren’t what they used to be, so he can’t bat for 10 overs at full intensity. He will step in based on the game’s demands,” Fleming explained at the post-match press conference.
The CSK coach reiterated that Dhoni remains too valuable to the team for his leadership and wicketkeeping and that sending him in too early could be a strategic misstep.
“From around the 13th or 14th over, he assesses the situation and decides. He trusts other batters early on but steps up when needed.”
CSK’s Struggles in the Powerplay Cost Them the Match
Fleming also pinpointed CSK’s poor powerplay performance as a key reason for their loss against Rajasthan Royals. While RR blasted 79/1 in the powerplay, CSK only managed 42/1,
Cricket enthusiasts in Mirigama and Giriulla are in for an exciting showdown as D.S. Senanayake College, Mirigama, and Wickramshila National School, Giriulla, prepare to launch their first-ever “Battle of Green” big match.
This historic encounter will take place at the Mirigama Public Grounds, marking the beginning of a thrilling annual rivalry between the two schools. Fans from both towns are expected to gather in large numbers, adding to the electric atmosphere of this inaugural clash.
The introduction of the Battle of Green is a significant milestone for school cricket in the region, providing a platform for young cricketers to showcase their talent while fostering sportsmanship and competitive spirit.
Stay tuned for match updates, player insights, and exclusive coverage on Sri Lankan Sports TV.
Shammi Silva Re-Elected as Sri Lanka Cricket President for Fourth Consecutive Term
Stephen Fleming Defends MS Dhoni’s Batting Position Amid Criticism
Inaugural ‘Battle of Green’ Set to Ignite a New School Cricket Rivalry
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