Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh – 2nd ODI: Bangladesh hold nerve to level series

Bangladesh’s Tanvir Islam (C) celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis (Photo credits: AFP)

Bangladesh held their nerve in a nail-biting finish to clinch a 16-run win over Sri Lanka in the second ODI at Colombo on Saturday, squaring the three-match series at 1-1.
Chasing 249, Sri Lanka were down in the dumps at 170-8.
A fighting 78 by Janith Liyanage brought the hosts back from the brink and set hearts racing in the packed stands.
Needing 27 off the final three overs, Liyanage lofted the first ball of the 48th over into the stands, reducing the equation to 21 off 20 and sending the Colombo crowd into jubilant mood.
But the joy was short-lived.
Mustafizur Rahman slipped in a clever off-cutter next ball that Liyanage spooned straight back for a return catch.
That proved the turning point, as Bangladesh wrestled back control and closed out a hard-fought win.
If there was one man who turned the tide for the visitors, it was Tanvir Islam.
The left-arm spinner, playing just his second ODI, rebounded from a torrid start to produce career-best figures of 5-39 -- a match-winning spell that derailed Sri Lanka’s chase.
The third and final ODI will be played tomorrow, followed by three Twenty20 games.
AFP