15 Jul, 2025 | 07:59 PM
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka head into the third and final T20I at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with the series level at 1-1, setting up a high-stakes finale on July 17. After a resounding 83-run win in the second T20I in Dambulla, Bangladesh have a rare opportunity to seal a T20I series win, while hosts Sri Lanka are looking to bounce back from an embarrassing collapse.
The second T20I marked only Bangladesh’s second T20I victory in eight matches in 2025, but it was a dominant, all-round performance. The side rallied around captain Litton Das, who returned to form with a fluent 76 off 50 balls, his first half-century in 13 innings. Supported by Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain, Bangladesh produced a complete team effort with both bat and ball—an approach they’ll look to replicate.
On the bowling front, Rishad Hossain’s three-wicket haul—his first in T20Is after a seven-month gap—helped skittle Sri Lanka out for just 94 runs, their lowest T20I total at home. The win not only leveled the series but also ended Bangladesh’s six-match losing streak in T20Is.
For Sri Lanka, the defeat was a wake-up call. After cruising to a win in the first T20I in Pallekele, thanks to Kusal Mendis' 38 off 15, they crumbled in Dambulla. Mendis’ run-out for 8 in the second match was symptomatic of a broader batting failure. The team will now look to mirror their ODI series comeback, where they recovered from a second-match loss to win the series.
Captain Charith Asalanka faces the task of balancing his side more effectively, particularly with the ball. Wanindu Hasaranga’s absence has left a void in spin, and Jeffrey Vandersay has yet to impress as a replacement. Dunith Wellalage could be brought in for Chamika Karunaratne to strengthen both the spin attack and the lower-order batting.
Kusal Mendis remains Sri Lanka’s key player, having performed consistently across formats over the past month. He’ll look to finish the series on a high note.
Towhid Hridoy, meanwhile, plays a vital middle-order role for Bangladesh. Though he scored only 31 in the last game, his partnership with Litton was crucial. His versatility is drawing comparisons to Mushfiqur Rahim, though he still battles with shot selection and timing under pressure.
The R Premadasa Stadium has historically favoured teams bowling first in night matches, with nine of the last ten T20Is won by the chasing side. The average first-innings score is just 125, much lower than the totals seen in Pallekele and Dambulla. With rain predicted in the evening, the toss could be even more influential.
