Riyad takes Tigers into final with last-over heroics

Mahmudullah Riyad held his nerve and displayed true steel to win a thriller for Bangladesh by hitting a six off the second-last ball of the match to defeat Sri Lanka by two wiickets in an ill-tempered match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday. The win ensured Bangladesh's progress to Sunday's final of the T20I tri-nation Nidahas Trophy against India. 

Chasing Sri Lanka's 159 for seven, Bangladesh looked out of the match when they lost skipper Shakib Al Hasan in the 18th over, and were left needing 12 off the last over when Mehedi Hasan Miraz was run out off the last ball of the 19th. Then there was pandemonium when new batsman Mustafizur Rahman missed two bouncers from Isuru Udana in the last over, and Shakib, thinking that the umpire had signalled a no-ball after the first bouncer and then changed his mind, stood on the edge of the boundary ropes and started calling the batsmen off, presumably in protest of the decision. 

Bangladesh manager Khaled Mahmud cooled things down and the match continued. Riyad hit the first ball after resumption beautifully over cover for four, took a couple off the next one and then triumphantly deposited the fifth delivery -- when six were needed fromt wo balls -- into the stands behind square leg.