SL VS BAN T20I

Right then, that is it from this game as Bangladesh wins this by 8 wickets and levels this 3-match T20I series at one apiece. The series decider will be played on 9th March at 2.30 pm IST (9 am GMT). Join us an hour early for the pre-match build-up. Until then, cheers!

The skipper of Bangladesh, Najmul Hossain Shanto is also the Player of the Match for his match-winning innings of 53 in 38 balls. He is up for a quick chat and says that the boys showed character today and bowled brilliantly. Adds that the credit goes to all the bowlers and not just one. Mentions that Litton Das and Soumya Sarkar did well at the top and this comes as a proper team game that a skipper loves.

Charith Asalanka the skipper of Sri Lanka says they fell short of 20-25 runs which took the game away. Mentions that as batters they have to adapt and put up good scores to give their bowlers something to play for considering how difficult it is to bowl here. Concludes that Bangladesh batters batted well and deserved the win.

Stay tuned for the presentation ceremony ...

Earlier in the game, after being asked to bat first, Sri Lanka started with a maiden as Avishka Fernando struggled against Shoriful Islam in the first over and soon departed in the second. Kamindu Mendis walked out at 3 and was off to a blistering start. The duo then managed to score freely in the middle. Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis added 66 for the second wicket. The visitors lost three quickly by a good partnership of 53 at the end helped them post a fighting total. Barring Avishka Fernando and Sadeera Samarawickrama every batter got starts but failed to make them count by going big. The bowling from Bangladesh was good as they held to their plans and bowled in that in-between channel with variations. Shoriful Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Soumya Sarkar and Mustafizur Rahman took a wicket each.

The bowlers of Sri Lanka did start nicely but lost the plot by leaking runs on both sides of the park. The target was one they could have put up a better fight for but the arrival of dew did not help them either. Matheesha Pathirana picked up a couple and looked the best of the lot but he was later carried off in the middle of his over with a suspected hamstring issue that comes as a scare for the Lankans.

Chasing down a tricky total, Bangladesh were off to a blistering start with Soumya Sarkar and Litton Das managing to tonk the Lankan bowlers all around the park. The duo extracted 63 off the powerplay and went on to add 68 for the first wicket partnership. The Lankans were doing well till a controversial call from the third umpire came to the aid of Soumya Sarkar and he was given not-out on what looked like an edge back to the keeper. The batter took the aggressive route afterward and scored freely. The third-wicket partnership of 87 between Towhid Hridoy and Najmul Hossain Shanto sealed the deal for the hosts. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was the top scorer for the side as he scored 53 and saw his side home.

Dominant Bangladesh level the series as they win this with 8 wickets and 11 deliveries left in the bank.

SIX! That's it, Najmul Hossain Shanto, the skipper finishes off things in some style and gets to his half-century. Dasun Shanaka overpitches it into the stumps, Najmul Hossain Shanto waits for the ball, clears his front leg and clobbers it over square leg fence for a maximum to keep the series alive.

SIX! That's high and handsome. Served on a shorter length over middle and off, Towhid Hridoy rocks back in the crease and smokes it out of the park over mid-wicket for half a dozen. Bangladesh now just need 2 more runs to win.

LEG BYES! Bowls it on a shorter length and angles it into the pads, Najmul Hossain Shanto rocks back and looks to pull but gets clipped on the pad as the ball tickles down to fine leg for a single.

WIDE! Goes wider of the crease and bangs a shorter delivery down leg for a wide.

Floats a yorker into the stumps, Towhid Hridoy clears his front leg and digs it to long on for a single. Bangladesh now just need 10 more runs to win.

Ball change. The umpires converge in the middle and they have asked for a new ball as the seam of this has gotten really soft due to dew.

Goes fuller outside off, Najmul Hossain Shanto drives it to long off for a single.

Drops the length over middle and leg, Towhid Hridoy gets across a bit and gets on a knee to pull it aerially to deep square leg for a single.

Drags the length shorter over off, Najmul Hossain Shanto punches it to long on for a single.