Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh 2017: 3rd ODI, 5 talking points

Kusal Mendis followed up his hundred with a fine half-century

Sri Lanka saved grace and the series with a complete performance in Colombo in the third and final ODI against Bangladesh. The series stayed level at 1-1 courtesy a fine show from the hosts, who compiled 280 after being asked to bat first. 

Kusal Mendis struck a fine half-century after Danushka Gunathilaka and Upul Tharanga had laid out a fine platform. Thisara Perera combined muscle power with diligent stroke making as he helped Lanka to a fighting score. 

Bangladesh started the chase in awful fashion, losing Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman and Mushfiqur Rahim within the first 24 deliveries of their innings. Shakib-al-Hasan and Soumya Sarkar did some reviving but Dilruwan Perera ripped the two out to bring back Lanka into the game. The chase never gained momentum after Shakib's dismissal although Mehedi Hasan continued to prove his potential with the willow, smashing a fifty in his maiden ODI innings.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 280/9 (Mendis 54, Perera 52, Mortaza 3/65) beat Bangladesh (Shakib 54, Mehedi Hasan 51, Kulasekara 4/37)

Take a look at the talking points from the final ODI of the three-match series.

#5 Kusal Mendis continues his run of form

There is no doubting that Kusal Mendis is the next big thing in Sri Lankan cricketer. The man with a real talent with the willow has shown enough in his fledgeling career thus far to suggest that he has all the ingredients to make it to the top tier of the world's best batsmen.

Barring some brain fades, Mendis has looked the part in each of his innings on the international stage. Here at Colombo, the youngster was quick to read the game situation, much like his hundred at Dambulla in the abandoned game. He concentrated on rotating the strike rather than going in search of extravagance. 

Barring the back to back boundaries off Shakib-al-Hasan, Mendis stuck to his motto of running between the wickets for most of his runs. Sadly, he could not go much past a well-made half-century as he nicked the wily Mustafizur behind to the keeper.