What's the story
Kusal Mendis played a match-winning knock to help Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 7 wickets in Pallekele on Thursday. Bangladesh were restricted to 154/5 in 20 overs. In response, Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Mendis handed their side a dream start. Mendis continued to bat and got to a fifty. He was eventually dismissed for 73 as Sri Lanka earned a 7-wicket win.
Knock
Nissanka and Mendis added 78 runs inside 5 overs with the hosts putting up 83/1 in the powerplay overs (1-6). This is now their best powerplay score in T20Is. Mendis kept his side's scorecard ticking along. He added 42 runs alongside Kusal Perera before perishing in the 13th over to Mohammad Saifuddin. Mendis smashed 5 fours and 3 sixes in his knock of 73.
Information
Mendis has raced to 1,993 runs in T20Is from 79 matches at 26.22. He now owns 16 fifties in T20Is. His strike rate is 132.07. As per ESPNcricinfo, versus Bangladesh, Mendis has clocked 515 runs from 10 matches. He slammed his 7th fifty.
Do you know?
Mendis has raced to 4,811 runs in 174 T20 matches (169 innings) at 30.44. This was his 33rd fifty (100s: 2). He is closing in on 200 sixes (198). His strike rate reads 137.69.
