It all came down to the last over in Sylhet. Chasing 207, Bangladesh needed 12, with the rampaging Jaker Ali at the non-striker's end, but Dasun Shanaka nailed his lines and lengths to help Sri Lanka snatch a three-run win in the first T20I in Sylhet.

By the time Jaker got on strike, Bangladesh needed ten from four balls. But Shanaka held his nerve to go full on off; Jaker looked to get under the ball but it took the bottom of the bat and stand-in captain Charith Asalanka, at long-off, judged a low catch to his left to perfection.

Still, it was not done, as Bangladesh's No. 10 Shoriful Islam slammed his first ball over extra cover, and took a leg-bye off the penultimate ball. That left Taskin Ahmed needing to hit a four to tie and six to win, but he could manage neither. The Sri Lanka fielders started celebrating as soon as Taskin toe-ended another wide, full ball from Shanaka, managing just a single.

But the seeds for this win were sown much earlier, by Sri Lanka's batters. They reached 206 for 3 despite missing Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera and their regular captain Wanindu Hasaranga, who is serving his suspension for an outburst against the umpires. In their absence, Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama struck brisk fifties and Asalanka teed off at the death to produce the most impactful knock of the night. He struck six sixes in his unbeaten 44 off 21 balls.

Bangladesh meek after Shoriful strikes first blow

The talk of putting past rivalries behind them lasted all of two balls. After Shoriful had Avishka Fernando caught behind, he mimicked Angelo Mathews' celebration from the two sides' World Cup match last year; after Shakib and Bangladesh had stirred controversy by appealing - successfully - to have Mathews timed out, Mathews had pointed to his wrist in turn after snagging Shakib in the chase.