Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka had begun with familiar frustrations. A heavy defeat in the second Test followed a promising start in the first. The ODI series brought more chaos, including a five-wicket collapse for just five runs under debutant captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The series ended in defeat, extending Bangladesh’s poor run on foreign soil.
But the tone of the tour changed in the final stretch. Led by Litton Das, Bangladesh staged a strong comeback in the T20I series, overturning an early loss to win 2–1. It was Bangladesh’s first-ever T20I series victory on Sri Lankan soil and the first time they had won a bilateral series of any format in the country since 2017.
While Litton’s return to form was notable, the bigger story was the collective response of a young team under pressure. A side filled with fresh faces absorbed criticism, showed composure and took key decisions that paid off. With the T20 World Cup in India just under a year away, this success arrives at a crucial time.
Speaking exclusively to the Times of Bangladesh, former national captain Habibul Bashar praised the team for showing mental strength in the face of adversity. “The finish was good for us. It was an important win under pressure. The players showed character, and the team needed this for its own belief. The tour did not go badly overall,” he said.
“We forget that Sri Lanka is always a tough country for us to tour. The first Test was okay, the second wasn’t, and we lost the ODI series. But this team is still being built. We finished well and that is very important.”
Bashar also acknowledged the scrutiny players had faced before the T20Is. “The media and the fans were very harsh. The boys were under immense pressure and it is not easy to come back from that. They deserve credit and a reward for how they handled it. This is what we expect of them and this is how cricket should be approached.”
Former national cricketer Rajin Saleh, now part of the Bangladesh High Performance Unit as batting coach, also shared his views with the Times of Bangladesh. “I’d rate the tour as 60-40. It wasn’t bad. We needed to win a series desperately and we did that,” he said. “It will give the players confidence heading into the next challenges.”
Rajin agreed with Litton’s post-match comment that this was a major achievement for Bangladesh. “We’ve never won a series in Sri Lanka before. That alone makes it a big achievement. And with the World Cup coming up in this region, this experience will help. It was crucial for Bangladesh,” he said.
Before this win, Bangladesh had lost T20I series to UAE and Pakistan, and had been whitewashed on several previous away tours. The pressure was high on a squad that featured emerging names like Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Towhid Hridoy, Sheikh Mahedi Hasan and Rishad Hossain.
The final T20I saw Bangladesh make a decisive tactical move by bringing in Mahedi for Mehidy, based on pitch conditions. Mahedi responded with his best-ever T20I figures of 4 for 11, setting up the win. Tanzid’s unbeaten 76 ensured a comfortable chase of 132, completed with 21 balls remaining.
Litton dedicated the series victory to the martyrs of July 2024, adding greater emotional significance to the achievement. “We always remember our history. This month means something to our people, and we’re proud to win for them,” he said.
At Dhaka airport, the returning players smiled for the cameras with the trophy in hand. It was a moment of relief after a difficult period. But attention quickly shifts to the next challenge. Bangladesh begin a three-match T20I series against Pakistan at home starting 20 July.
The question now is whether this momentum can be sustained. As Bashar put it, “We’ve started the ending well. Now let’s begin the next chapter properly too.”