Nuwan Thushara and Kusal Mendis produced impressive performances to help Sri Lanka record a 28-run win against Bangladesh in the third T20I game to seal the three-match series by 2-1 on Saturday.
Mendis smashed 86 off 55 balls, his highest T20I score, to help Sri Lanka post 174 while batting first at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Then Thushara also produced his career-best figures 5 for 20, including a sensational hat-trick, to bowl Bangladesh on 146.
Dhananjaya de Silva gave Sri Lanka an impressive start with an early wicket of opener Litton Das in the third over and then Thushara completely turned the momentum in the next over.
Thushara, the 29-year-old right-arm pacer, bowled out opponent captain Najmul Shanto and Towid Hridoy on back-to-back deliveries and then stunned the crowd in Sylhet by dismissing the veteran Mahmudullah on lbw to complete his first-ever career hat-trick.
He also dismissed Shoriful Islam to claim his first five-wicket haul in international cricket and clinched the Player of the Match award.
"I'm happy that I found my rhythm, and that I was able to do well the things that I'm good at and make an impact on the game," Thushara said in a post-match award presentation. "I'm really happy, it was the first hat-trick in my life. In a match like this, I'm just pleased to be able to help the team."
Meanwhile, Thusara will be next seen in action for Mumbai Indians having won the whooping INR 4.2 crore contract in the IPL 2024 auction in December last year. Mumbai Indians defeated Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore to win the services of a Sri Lankan pacer who notably plays for MI Cape Town in SA20 and Dubai Capitals in ILT20.
Mumbai Indians also signed Dilshan Madushanka for INR 4.6 crore and South African speedster Gerald Coetzee for INR 5 crore to significantly improve their pace bowling attack for the IPL 2024.
