Sri Lankan women crush Tigresses to win T20 series

Sri Lanka women's team secured a 44-run victory against Bangladesh in the third and final T20 International to claim the series 2-1 at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) on Friday, reports BSS.

Bangladesh stunned Sri Lanka by six wickets in the first match before the hosts bounced back with seven-wicket victory in the second match, making the third and final match a decider one.

Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka put up a respectable 158-3, riding on half-century of Nilakshi de Silva and Harshitha Samarawickrama.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu gave the side a quick start, making 23 ball-32 with three fours and two sixes. But Sri Lanka were reduced to 56-3 before Samarawickra and de Silva pulled the side out of danger with 102 runs in an undefeated fourth wicket stand.

Samarawickrama hit an unbeaten 51 off 42, sending the ball across the ropes for six times and de Silva plundered the bowlers all corner of the park to blast 39 ball-63 not out, an innings laced with four fours and as many sixes.

De Silva was adjudged man of the match.

Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akhter and Fahima Khatun took one wicket apiece for Bangladesh.

The Tigresses, however, were able to reach 114-7 in the stipulated 20 overs with captain Nigar Sultana Joty making the highest 31 and Sobhana Mostary adding 30.

Udeshika Prabodhani, Kawya Kavindi and Inoka Ranaweera picked up two wickets apiece for Sri Lanka.

The Lankan earlier took the three-match ODI series 1-0 after first two ODIs were washed out.