In a crucial second ODI, Bangladesh mounted an impressive defense of 242 runs, defeating Sri Lanka by seven wickets to level the best-of-three series. The inspired words and performance of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, however, provided the discipline-boosted bangla victory battalion foundation on which this disciplined defiance was builtBangladesh’s innings began with some promise, however, it quickly transformed into meager 242 all out. In stark contrast to his initial drowsy outing, Towhid Hridoy’s serene 58 runs effortlessly earned him a half-century. Mehidy also pilfered 26 runs but other than these two batters, literally no one even tried to work towards a sizable individual score, resulting in a total that would serve as a reckless challenge for bowlers, far from deserving.Sri Lanka’s batting line up, pressured by Bangladesh’s bowlers, faltered and were reduced to 73 for 6 in the first eleven overs. They faced brutal domination with no sign of breathing space. Alongside Shoriful Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz maintained a stranglehold during the middle overs, taking crucial wickets and drying up runs that would usually accelerate aggression. Wanindu Hasaranga, resolute conqueror of the hosts, would cross to get out at 40 because of his pacing and stubborn refusal to retreat.As reported from within the team, Mehidy's confidence and belief was the driving force behind Bangladesh’s tangible success in their defence. He seemed to motivate his teammates by strongly believing on their collective ability to defend the total which altered a daunting chase into a more manageable win.With Sri Lanka restricted to 181 Bangladesh achieved a comprehensive victory which showcased their strength to perform away from home under pressure and also gave Sri Lanka a lot to think about regarding their batting weaknesses. The emphatic performance from Bangladesh leveled the series 1-1 heading into the last match.
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