In their 2024 T20 World Cup opener at Grand Prairie Stadium, Bangladesh chased down a target of 125 with an over and two wickets to spare against Sri Lanka, but it wasn’t without drama.
The Tigers found themselves at risk of collapsing from what seemed to be a straightforward victory, as a flurry of late wickets, initiated by an unexpected hero in Maheesh Theekshana, brought tension to the finish.
During the 17th over, Matheesha Pathirana bowled a short delivery to Shakib Al Hasan, who tried to ramp it but failed to connect properly. The ball soared towards third man where Theekshana was positioned.
He had to cover a lot of ground to his left, and as the ball began to drop, he was still a yard away. In a brilliant move, Theekshana lunged forward, catching the ball with both hands and securing it despite a heavy landing.
— Jackson Hernandez (@JHernandez9286) June 8, 2024
Theekshana and the Sri Lankan team were overjoyed, and social media buzzed with praise, noting his past struggles in the field.
