In a thrilling finale to the three-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand, Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera put on a stunning performance, scoring a career-best 101 off just 46 balls. His innings propelled Sri Lanka to a total of 218-5, and despite a valiant effort by New Zealand's batsmen, they fell seven runs short, giving Sri Lanka their first win in the series. Perera's century is not only the fastest by a Sri Lankan in T20 internationals, but it also earned him the Player of the Match award. With this victory, Sri Lanka showed that they still have fight and determination despite losing the series.
Sri Lanka claimed their first-ever series win against the West Indies in a thrilling third and final Twenty20 international. Powered by half-centuries from Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera, Sri Lanka easily chased down a target of 163 with nine wickets in hand and two overs to spare. This victory came after the West Indies won the first match but Sri Lanka came back strong to win the series 2-1, with Mendis named as the player of the match and Pathum Nissanka named as the player of the series.
In the 1st T20I match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kusal Mendis both scored fifties while Charith Asalanka added a quick 44 runs to help Sri Lanka post a strong total of 206/3. The teams are looking to build momentum for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with the series also including 2 other T20Is, 3 ODIs, and 2 Tests. This match marks the first meeting between the two teams since the infamous ODI World Cup match in 2023 where Bangladeshi skipper Shakib Al Hasan dismissed Lankan batter Angelo Matthews during a time-out. Despite a strong batting performance from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh has taken 3 wickets in the first 6 overs, with Mathews getting the breakthrough in his first over and removing Towhid Hridoy for 8 runs.
In a thrilling final, Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated Dubai Capitals (DC) by 45 runs to win the ILT20 2024 title. MI's batting powerhouse, led by Muhammad Waseem and Kusal Perera, put up a formidable total of 208 runs. Despite a valiant effort from DC's Nicholas Pooran and Sam Billings, MI's strong bowling attack proved to be too much for them.
Sri Lanka showed their dominance over Zimbabwe in the ODI series, winning the second and third games despite interference from weather conditions. Angelo Matthews has returned to the T20I squad after a three-year absence and will look to make his mark. Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva are also set to make a comeback for the T20Is, while Wanindu Hasaranga will lead the Sri Lankan team in his first assignment as captain. Sikandar Raza will captain Zimbabwe in the T20I series, replacing Mufudza, Akram, and Takudzwanashe Kaitano.