Dhaka, Feb 7 (bdnews24.com) – While their senior team-mates struggled in New Zealand, the Twenty20 side made the nation proud by clinching the gold medal in the newly-introduced South Asian Games discipline with an exciting six-run win over Sri Lanka at the floodlit Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Sunday.
The victory not only raised Bangladesh's record gold tally to 14, it also made up for the 18-run defeat when the two sides met in the preliminary stage of the competition.
Winning the toss, the hosts after a flying start made 157-7 in 20 overs with opener Anamul Haque hammering 43 off 38 balls with four fours while skipper Mohammad Mithun hit a quick-fire 37 off 21 deliveries featuring five fours and a six.
Shabbir Rahman and Nasir Hossain were the notable run-getters with a 19-ball 21 and 14 respectively.
Ariful Haque also blitzed 14 off just eight balls to accelerate the total towards the end of Bangladesh's innings.
Lankan bowlers Sachith Pathirana and Thisara Perera claimed two wickets each
Sri Lanka were all out for 151 in 19.5 overs. Lahiru Thirimanne made highest 39 off 34 balls with three fours and Sachith Pathirana smashed 36 runs off 21 balls with seven fours.
Ashan Pdrfiyanjan (25) and Nisham Mazahir (12) and Angelo Jayapatne (12) were the other notable scorers for the islanders.
Shabbir Rahman grabbed 4-31 while Nasir Hossain captured 2-30.
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