Sri Lanka won a nail bitter in Sylhet in the first T20I on Monday (4th March) by 3 runs. The debutant bolster Jaker Ali Anik's heroic 68 went in vein as Sri Lanka cruise pass through the victory. Dual fifties from Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka's blitzkrieg 44 off 21 balls have steered them to 206-3. Which entirely they defended and made Bangladesh short of 3 runs.

Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka came at the death overs to ransack Bangladeshi bowlers. He plundered 14 runs in 18th over of Mustafizur Rahman and smacked 11 off Shariful Islam's 19th over. Charith Asalanka raced to 44 off only 21 deliveries aided Sri Lanka finish the innings on a high.

Earlier, Bangladesh's newly appointed skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to field first. Being inserted to bat first, Sri Lankan opener Avishka Fernando was dismantled by the searing pace of Shariful Islam. Taskin Ahmed then removed Kamindu Mendis and Sri Lanka were reeling at 37-2. Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama stitched a match turning partnership of 96 runs off only 61 deliveries. Kusal Mendis played a scintillating innings of 59 off only 36 deliveries, where he smashed 6 boundaries and 3 maximums. Sadeera Samarawickrama played as the anchor of the innings and piled to 61 off just 48 deliveries which built the foundation of the innings.

In reply, Bangladesh faltered earlier on as they lost their key opener Litton Das for a 3 ball duck. Soumya Sarkar took 11 balls to score just 12 runs, while Bangladesh's skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto made 20 off consuming 22 balls which left Bangladesh in a deep hole. The veteran Mahmudullah Riyad came and started to tee off the Lankans. Smacking them everywhere of the park he raced to his fifty and scored a thundering 54 off 31 balls.

After the departure of Mahmudullah the chances of Bangladesh winning the match seemed bleak. But the debutant Jaker Ali brought Bangladesh back with his ridiculous batting everywhere of the park. He hammered 6 sixes and marginalised Sri Lanka, slamming 4 boundaries he raced to his maiden fifty on debut.

Bangladesh needed 12 off last over and Jaker Ali was out in the penultimate delivery after his tornado 68 off 34 deliveries. Bangladesh needing of 10 off 3 balls, Shariful smashed a four and then had a single. It left 5 off the last delivery and end of the day Bangladesh fell short of 3 runs and lost the match.