Nidahas Trophy: Tamim Iqbal fifty guides Bangladesh to victory over Sri Lanka

Tamim Iqbal displayed his class and stroked his fifth fifty off 41 balls to guide Bangladesh to a brilliant win over Sri Lanka in their Nidahas Trophy 2018 tri-series encounter at the R Premadasa stadium on Friday. (HIGHLIGHTS)

Chasing 160 after Sri Lanka had staged a recovery thanks to fifties from Kusal Perera (61) and Thisara Perera (58), Tamim got off in grand style by crashing a short ball from Nuwan Pradeep to the deep backward point boundary and straight-driving the bowler to the long-off fence. Despite the fall of Liton Das (0) and Sabbir Rahman (13), the left-hander continued to bat confidently. (SCORECARD)

After lap-sweeping left-arm orthodox bowler Amila Aponso and cracking Thisara to the backward point boundary, Tamim showed his intent by dancing down the track to Akila Dananjaya and depositing him for a six over long off. The Bangladesh opener repeated the dose in the 12th over as he hammered the spinner over wide long off to come closer to his landmark.

READ | Mahmudullah brilliance helps Bangladesh seal thriller vs Sri Lanka to enter Nidahas Trophy final

Tamim reached his landmark in the 14th over by driving Danushka Gunathilaka to deep extra cover but fell in the same over as he danced down the track and edged an inside-out drive to wicketkeeper Kusal Perera.

Danushka Gunathilaka dismissed him for 50 in the 14th over, but Mahmudullah blasted 43 not out off 18 balls to secure their thrilling two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in an ill-tempered match.