The 2018 Nidahas Trophy was a T20 cricket tournament that was held in Sri Lanka in March 2018.[1][2] It was a tri-nation series between Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.[3] Each team played each other twice, with two teams progressing to the final.[1] The tournament was played to celebrate Sri Lanka's 70th year of independence; the title derives from the Sinhalese නිදහස් nidahas, meaning "freedom."[4]Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that the matches would be played as Twenty20 International fixtures.[5] The fixtures and venue were announced in November 2017,[6] with all the matches played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.[7] This was the first occasion that Discovery Networks Asia Pacific channel DSport acquired media rights to broadcast live cricket matches involving the Indian cricket team.[8][9]
India progressed to the final after they beat Bangladesh by 17 runs in the fifth T20I match.[10] Bangladesh joined India in the final, after they beat Sri Lanka by 2 wickets in the final group game.[11] In the final, India beat Bangladesh by four wickets to win the tournament.[12]
Initially, Shakib Al Hasan was ruled out of Bangladesh's squad before the start of the tournament due to injury. He was replaced by Litton Das with Mahmudullah named as captain.[16] However, Shakib rejoined the Bangladesh squad ahead of the sixth T20I match.[17]
Sri Lanka's captain Dinesh Chandimal was given a two-match ban for a slow over-rate following the match against Bangladesh on 10 March 2018. Thisara Perera was named as Sri Lanka's captain in Chandimal's absence.[18]
Kusal Perera became the fastest Sri Lankan and the fifth batsman for Sri Lanka to reach 1,000 runs in T20Is (34 innings).[26] He also became the first player to score five T20I fifties against the same opposition.[27]
Rohit Sharma (Ind) became the tenth batsman to score 7,000 runs in T20s.[29]
India made the highest successful run-chase for any team in a T20I final.[12][29]
Controversy
During the sixth T20I match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan accused the umpires for not signalling a no-ball delivery when Isuru Udana bowled two bouncer deliveries to Mustafizur Rahman in the last over of the match, when Bangladesh needed 12 runs off six balls to win.[30][31]Mahmudullah, who was on the non-striker's end when Mustafizur Rahman was batting, demanded that a no-ball be signalled by the on-field umpires. Shakib later threatened to leave the field and recalled the batsmen from the field as a result of the umpiring errors. Reserve Bangladeshi cricketer Nurul Hasan was also suspected to have breached the code of conduct for arguing with Sri Lankan captain Thisara Perera.[32] It was also revealed that Shakib exchanged insults with Sri Lankan commentator Russell Arnold. The International Cricket Council (ICC) later imposed a 25 percent fine on match fees and issued a demerit point to both Shakib and Nurul Hasan for breaching the code of ethics.[33][34][35] After the sixth T20I between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh concluded, the door to the Bangladeshi dressing room was shattered. It was later revealed that Shakib Al Hasan accidentally broke the glass door by pulling it backwards rather than pulling from the forward position.[36][37][38]
