DHAKA — Opener Kusal Mendis scored his maiden half century in Twenty20 Internationals to lead Sri Lanka's six-wicket rout of Bangladesh in the first of the two matches here Thursday.

Mendis smashed 53 off 27 balls while Dasun Shanaka hit an unbeaten 42 as the visitors eased past Bangladesh's record total of 193-5 with 20 balls to spare.

Shanaka, who hit three fours and three sixes in his 24-ball blitz, shared an unbeaten 65-run stand with Thisara Perera to snap Sri Lanka's eight-match losing streak in T20 matches.

Bangladesh rode on brisk half-centuries by Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur Rahim to post its highest-ever T20 total but was undone by an attacking opposition batting.

Sri Lanka responded strongly with Mendis putting on 53 runs with fellow-opener Danushka Gunathilaka, who made 30, to put the Bangladesh bowlers on the back-foot.

Left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam, one of the four debutants in the Bangladeshi line-up, broke the stand when he got Gunathilaka stumped.

Nazmul later picked the wicket of Upul Tharanga, for four, before fellow debutant Afif Hossain removed Mendis with his off spin.

But Shanaka and Perera, who was unbeaten on 39 off just 18 balls, ensured no further hiccups in the Sri Lankan innings.

"We talked before the second innings that it was a good wicket to bat and we just needed to do our basics and if we can do our basics, then we can chase down the target," said Gunathilaka.

Earlier, the home side surpassed its previous highest score of 190-5 against Ireland in Belfast in 2012, thanks to some prolific batting by Mushfiqur and Soumya.

Mushfiqur remained unbeaten on 66 off 44 balls while Soumya hit a 32-ball 51 — the left-handed opener's maiden T20 fifty — after the hosts elected to bat first.

Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad felt they were few runs short despite their record score.

"We could have scored 10-15 runs more on this wicket," Mahmudullah said after the game.

"They bowled well in the middle overs and especially Udana (Isuru) bowled good yorkers in an over. We have to try many things at that time," he added.

Sri Lankan leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis claimed two wickets.

The second match of the series will be held in Sylhet Sunday.

SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh

Z. Hasan b Gunathilaka 10

S. Sarkar lbw b J. Mendis 51

M. Rahim not out 66

A. Hossain c Dickwella b J. Mendis 00

Mahmudullah c Dananjaya b Udana 43

S. Rahman b T. Perera 01

A. Haque not out 01

Extras (b1, lb3 w16, nb1) 21

Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 193

Did not bat: Mohammad Saifuddin, Nazmul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain.

Falls: 1-49 (Zakir), 2-100 (Soumya), 3-100 (Afif), 4-173 (Mahmudullah), 5-186 (Sabbir).

Bowling: Madushanka 3-0-39-0 (w2), Gunathilaka 2-0-16-1 (w5), Udana 4-0-45-1 (w5), T. Perera 4-0-36-1 (w3, nb1), Dananjaya 4-0-32-0 (w1), J. Mendis 3-0-21-2.

Sri Lanka (target 194)

K. Mendis c Soumya b Afif 53

D. Gunathilaka st Rahim b Nazmul 30

U. Tharanga c Afif b Nazmul 04

D. Shanaka not out 42

N. Dickwella c Saifuddin b Rubel 11

T. Perera not out 39

Extras (lb3, w12) 15

Total (4 wickets 16.4 overs) 194

Did not bat: D. Chandimal, J. Mendis, A. Dananjaya, S. Madushanka, I. Udana

Falls: 1-53 (Gunathilaka), 2-90 (K.Mendis), 3-92 (Tharanga) 4-129 (Dickwella).

Bowling: Nazmul 4-0-25-2 (w1), Saifuddin 2-0-33-0 (w1), Mahmudullah 2-0-23-0 (w1), Rubel 3.4-0-52-1 (w7), Mustafizur 3-0-32-0 (w1) , Afif 2-0-26-1 (w1). — AFP