Bangladesh are all but out of the Asia Cup 2023 after losing by 21 runs to Sri Lanka in Saturday's Super Four match at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Chasing 258 for a much-needed victory, the Tigers were all out for 236 in 48.1 overs to stand on the brink of elimination from the regional tournament.
The men in red and green must now beat neighbors India by a good margin at the same venue this Friday but before that hope for other results to go their way.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka both have two points having played one game each, while Bangladesh are winless in two Super Four matches with India the other side in the competition.
Towhid Hridoy top-scored for the visitors with 82 off 97 balls, featuring seven fours and a six, but following his departure it was all over for the tourists.
Maheesh Theekshana, captain Dasun Shanaka and Matheesha Pathirana bagged three wickets apiece for the home side.
Earlier, Sadeera Samarawickrama hit an attacking 93 as Sri Lanka reached 257/9 after a stuttering innings.
Bangladesh elected to bowl in their must-win game of the 50-over event, a precursor to the upcoming One Day International World Cup in India.
Their fast bowlers stood up, with Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud taking three wickets each to check Sri Lanka's scoring.
However, Kusal Mendis (50) and then Samarawickrama made sure the co-hosts posted a fighting total on an inconsistent pitch.
Samarawickrama reached his 50 in 47 balls and accelerated in a 60-run partnership with Shanaka, who made 24, to rouse the home fans at a largely empty ground.
Sri Lanka started briskly when Dimuth Karunaratne hit Hasan for two successive boundaries but the fast bowler had him out for 18 on the next ball.
Pathum Nissanka and Mendis put on 74 runs to put the innings back on track with some sensible batting, forcing Bangladesh skipper Shakib al Hasan to rotate his bowlers.
Shoriful Islam was brought into the attack and he delivered with the wicket of Nissanka, trapped lbw for 40.
Mendis reached his fifty with a boundary off Shoriful in the next over but the fast bowler had his revenge four balls later to have him caught out.
The bowlers kept up the charge, with pace spearhead Taskin getting Charith Asalanka out with a slower delivery for 10.
Dhananajaya de Silva departed soon after.
Samarawickrama took on the bowlers with a string of boundaries and finished off well as he surpassed his previous ODI best of 82.
He was dismissed on the final ball.
Rain has played havoc in the tournament so far but bright sunshine greeted the two captains at the toss.
Shakib announced one change from their seven-wicket loss in Lahore.
Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed came in for all-rounder Afif Hossain.
Sri Lanka, co-hosting the tournament with Pakistan, sneaked into the Super Fours with a narrow win over Afghanistan and were unchanged.
Sri Lanka won the Twenty20 Asia Cup in Dubai last year.