|| CF DESK ||

Najmul Hossain Shanto steered Bangladesh to a commanding 8-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the second T20I at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing the target, openers Litton Das and Soumya Sarkar made a brilliant start by adding 68 runs for the opening partnership. Soumya had a lucky escape when he survived a caught-behind appeal off the bottom edge when he was 14. He decided to review the decision and managed to extend his innings and reach a score of 26.

Litton contributed 36 runs off 24 deliveries, striking five boundaries and a solitary six. The latter part of the innings was solely handled by Shanto, accompanied by Towhid Hridoy.

Even though Sri Lanka made a shaky start to their innings a 66-run partnership between Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis helped Sri Lanka to tackle the initial setback. 

Kusal smashed a 22-ball 36 featuring two boundaries and three sixes and Kamindu scored 37 runs in 27 deliveries with three fours and a couple of sixes. 

The bowlers maintained pressure on the batters, despite the Sri Lankan batters' attempted to fight back, until Soumya Sarkar provided the breakthrough for the Tigers.

Skipper Charith Asalanka played a cameo 28 off 14 before getting axed by Mahedi Hasan. Veteran Angelo Mathews, then stitched a 46-run for the sixth wicket with Dasun Shanaka to propel the visitors to score 165-5 in the allotted overs.

Mathews struck four boundaries to play a crucial knock of 32 in 21 hitting four boundaries and Shanaka was unbeaten on 20 runs.