Skipper Chamari Athapaththu's stellar all-round performance paved the way for Sri Lanka to clinch a three-run thriller in a rain-affected third and final T20I against Bangladesh in Sylhet on Saturday (May 2). Athapaththu top-scored with 41 before bagging 2/15 in a two-over spell that also saw her bowl a nervy final over as Sri Lanka prevailed, sealing a series whitewash.
Athapaththu nearly carried her bat after Sri Lanka were asked to bat first, with rain reducing the contest to a nine-overs-a-side affair. She scored 17 off her first 10 deliveries with a couple of boundaries and a six, while her opening partner Imesha Dulani backed it up with four successive boundaries against Marufa Akter as Sri Lanka raced to 40 in the first three overs.
The spin duo of Sultana Khatun and Shanjida Akter Meghla applied the brakes. Sultana first castled Dulani before Shanjida dismissed Harshitha Samarawickrama for three. Sultana then landed a double-whammy, dismissing Hansima Karunaratne and Nilakshika Silva to finish with 3 for 8 from her two overs as Sri Lanka sunk from 43/0 to 53/4.
As long as Athapaththu was around though, the visitors were always on course for a decent total. She picked up a couple of boundaries against the pace of Ritu Moni before Shanjida's second over - from the opposite end - produced 11 runs.
Kavisha Dilhari chipped in with a vital cameo, smashing a six and a four in the final over before she and Athapaththu were both run out off the last two deliveries as Sri Lanka finished with 87/6 in their allotted nine-over quota.
In response, Bangladesh batted positively even as Dilara Akter fell to Athapaththu after a couple of early boundaries, with Sobhana Mostary driving the chase forward. With 44 runs needed off the final four overs, a 13-run over from Mithali Ayodhya transferred pressure back onto the visitors although Mostary fell after a 15-ball 21. Dilhari then sent down a seven-run over to increase the asking rate, following which Sugandika Kumari picked up a couple of wickets in the penultimate over.
Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana, who swept Kumari for a six, held the key as 14 runs were needed off the last over. Athapaththu had her caught at long on off the first ball and with 10 runs required off three deliveries, Sultana scored a boundary to keep the contest interesting. But Athapaththu held her nerve, pulling off a nerve-wracking win for the visitors.
@B0$: Sri Lanka 87/6 in 9 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 41, Imesha Dulani 19; Sultana Khatun 3-8) beat Bangladesh 84/6 in 9 overs (Sobhana Mostary 21, Juairiya Ferdous 15; Chamari Athapaththu 2-15, Sugandika Kumari 2-22) by 3 runs
