SRI LANKA stormed to a 99-run win over Bangladesh in the third and final ODI at Pallekele on Tuesday (8), sealing the three-match series 2-1 with a clinical all-round display.
Set a challenging target of 286, Bangladesh faltered under pressure and were bundled out for 186 inside 40 overs as Sri Lanka flexed their bowling muscle to wrap up the contest with ease.
The victory caps a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka in the 50-over format since their dismal World Cup campaign in India in 2023, where they finished ninth and failed to qualify for this year's Champions Trophy.
Since that debacle, they have won seven of nine ODI series, including notable triumphs over heavyweights Australia and India.
"This is probably one of our best games," Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said. "We were under pressure and we wanted to win badly and Kusal Mendis was superb today. When we ended up scoring 285, we knew we had the runs on the board and the bowlers' job became easy."
The architect of the series-deciding win against Bangladesh was indeed Mendis, who silenced his critics with 124 off 114 balls – his sixth ODI hundred.
The wicketkeeper-batter came into the game under fire after his rash dismissal during Sri Lanka's 16-run defeat in the second ODI in Colombo.
But at Pallekele, with the series on the line, Mendis dropped anchor and rebuilt the innings with a mature knock laced with 18 boundaries.
Coming in during the fourth over, he put on a vital 124-run stand for the fourth wicket with skipper Asalanka to lay the foundation for a competitive total.
Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis celebrates after scoring a century (100 runs) during the match. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
"Very pleased with the knock today. Was disappointed with what happened in Colombo. I had got a start and couldn't finish," said Mendis, who was named man of the match and player of the series.
"Here I was determined to bat through the innings and very satisfied."
At one stage the hosts looked set for a 300-plus total, but Bangladesh clawed back with tight death bowling to restrict them to 285 for seven.
The target proved to be a tall ask once the tourists' top order caved in.
Dushmantha Chameera, returning to the fold in this series after more than a year on the sidelines due to injury, hit the deck hard and was a handful with the new ball.
The right-arm quick rattled the stumps of in-form Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) with a gem that jagged back sharply to kiss the top of off.
With Towhid Hridoy then offering some resistance with a half-century, Chameera returned to breach his defence with another sharp in-swinging delivery that crashed through the gate.
The quick finished with three for 51 and was ably supported by Asitha Fernando, who also claimed three wickets. The two sides will now be involved in a three-match T20I series beginning Thursday, also at Pallekele.
"We started off well and we tried to bat positive, but the scoreboard pressure got to us," Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz said.
"But we are rebuilding the team and (there are) a lot of young players... we have a lot of positives."
(AFP)
