PALLEKELE: Sri Lanka stormed to a 99-run win over Bangladesh in the third and final ODI in Pallekele on Tuesday, 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 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

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 ICC Champions Trophy held in Pakistan and Dubai.

Since that debacle, they have won seven of nine ODI series, including notable triumphs over heavyweights Australia and India.

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 wicket-keeper/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 Sri Lankan skipper Charith Asalanka to lay the foundation for a competitive total.

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 batters 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-stump.

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 on Thursday, also in Pallekele.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA:

P. Nissanka c Parvez b Tanvir 35

N. Madushka c Najmul b Tanzim 1

K. Mendis c & b Shamim 124

K.D. Mendis lbw Mehidy 16

C. Asalanka c Mehidy b Taskin 58

J. Liyanage hit wicket b Mehidy 12

D. Wellalage c Shamim b Taskin 6

W. Hasaranga not out 18

D. Chameera not out 10

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-3) 5

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 285

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-13 (Madushka), 2-69 (Nissanka), 3-100 (K.D. Mendis), 4-224 (Asalanka), 5-249 (Liyanage), 6-255 (K. Mendis), 7-259 (Wellalage)

DID NOT BAT: M. Theekshana, A. Fernando

BOWLING: Taskin 10-0-51-2; Tanzim 6-0-41-1 (1w); Tanvir 10-0-61-1; Mustafizur 10-0-52-0 (1w); Mehidy 10-0-48-2 (1w); Shamim 4-0-30-1

BANGLADESH:

Parvez Hossain c Madushka b Wellalage 28

Tanzid Hasan b Fernando 17

Najmul Hossain b Chameera 0

Tawhid Hridoy b Chameera 51

Mehidy Hasan c Liyanage b Wellalage 28

Shamim Hossain st K. Mendis b Hasaranga 12

Jaker Ali b Fernando 27

Tanzim Hasan c K. Mendis b Chameera 5

Taskin Ahmed b Fernando 1

Tanvir Islam c Madushka b Hasaranga 8

Mustafizur Rahman not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-7) 9

TOTAL (all out, 39.4 overs) 186

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-19 (Tanzid), 2-20 (Najmul), 3-62 (Parvez), 4-105 (Mehidy), 5-124 (Shamim), 6-153 (Towhid), 7-162 (Tanzim), 8-171 (Taskin), 9-182 (Jaker)

BOWLING: Fernando 7-0-33-3 (1w); Chameera 8-1-51-3 (4w); Theekshana 6-1-18-0; Wellalage 8-0-33-2; Hasaranga 8.4-1-35-2; K.D. Mendis 2-0-14-0 (1w)

RESULT: Sri Lanka won the match by 99 runs.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Kusal Mendis

SERIES: Sri Lanka won three-match series 2-1.

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Kusal Mendis

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2025