Kandy, July 8, 2025 — Sri Lanka sealed a commanding 99-run victory in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, claiming the ODI series 2-1 over a struggling Bangladesh side.
Batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka posted a formidable 285/7 in their 50 overs. Kusal Mendis anchored the innings with a superb 124 off 114 balls—his fifth ODI century at home. Notably, Sri Lanka has never lost an ODI when Mendis has scored a century on home soil, and that winning trend continued. He was deservedly named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series for his 225 runs at an impressive average of 75.
Mendis found strong support from Pathum Nissanka and skipper Charith Asalanka, with Asalanka scoring a crucial 48. Together, they built a 124-run fourth-wicket partnership that broke Bangladesh’s momentum. Despite a minor collapse in the final overs, the hosts had already laid a strong foundation.
Bangladesh’s bowlers did show resilience late in the innings, especially Taskin Ahmed and the spinners, but the damage was already done. According to Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, “We pulled things back in the last 10 overs, but it was difficult to recover once we let the game slip early.”
In response, Bangladesh faltered badly, folding for 186 in just 39.4 overs. Only Tawhid Hridoy put up a fight with a gritty 51, becoming the sole batter to cross 30. The rest of the lineup collapsed under pressure, unable to cope with the movement of the new ball and the tight spin attack.
Dushmantha Chameera and Asitha Fernando each bagged three wickets, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage chipped in with two apiece. Bangladesh never really looked like chasing the total, with technical flaws in their batting lineup fully exposed.
This series loss adds to Bangladesh’s struggles in recent away tours. Despite showing fight in the first two ODIs, they were completely outclassed in the decider. Skipper Miraz remained optimistic, stating, “We are a young side. If these players are given consistent opportunities, they’ll deliver in the future.”
For Sri Lanka, this marks their eighth consecutive bilateral ODI series win at home. Their unbeaten streak in home ODI series now extends to twelve, a run that dates back to their last defeat in 2021 against India.
Bangladesh will now return home with tough lessons learned, while Sri Lanka celebrate another home triumph in the ODI format, reinforcing their dominance in familiar conditions.