Sri Lanka came close to suffering surprise defeat in their opening warm-up match for the World Twenty20 before securing a four-wicket victory over Bangladesh.

Chasing Bangladesh's disappointing total of 151 for six, Sri Lanka looked set to underline their credentials as potential winners when they raced to 112 for three in 13 overs.

But their innings lost all momentum between the 13th and 17th overs, during which period they added only five runs and lost two wickets, and it needed a wide with two balls remaining of the final over to clinch their triumph.

Having rested two of the key members of their line-up - prolific spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and strike bowler Lasith Malinga - Sri Lanka still dominated Bangladesh throughout their innings despite using eight different bowlers.

It took a determined 70-run partnership off 55 balls between Mushfiqur Rahmim and Raqibul Hasan to ensure Bangladesh even reached a respectable total in their second match in two days at Trent Bridge.

Uncapped seamer Isuru Udana had earlier claimed the key scalps of Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and Mahmud Ullah, both smartly caught behind by Sri Lanka captain Kumuar Sangakkara, for two big wickets in three balls.

But Rahim and Raqibul propelled their side to a healthy score, only for Sri Lanka's powerful top order to lay the platform for what appeared a comfortable triumph.

The loss of four wickets in five overs, just as Sri Lanka sensed a comfortable victory, stalled their progress, however, with left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan impressing with two for 18 in his four overs.

Jehan Mubarak finally regained the momentum for Sri Lanka by hitting successive fours in the 18th over of the innings from seamer Mashrafe Mortaza before falling to the next delivery, leaving Chamara Silva and Angelo Mathews to scrape an unconvincing victory.

Sangakkara confirmed afterwards that his team's return to the international stage is a tentative step in the right direction, following the attack on their team bus during a Test match in Lahore in March.

He predicts security will continue to be a major issue not just for Sri Lanka but all international cricket teams.

"Since Lahore, we've accepted the fact that there is never a 100 per cent guarantee," he said.

"But we have to move on and play cricket. That is what we're here for, and that is what we'll be doing.

"We've got to have that mental strength and fortitude to get on with our business.

"Not just for us but for all teams, in the current world climate, security will be an issue - in some countries more than others. Worldwide, there is a threat."

Sangakkara has been happy so far with security measures - and was satisfied too with his team's performance on the pitch on Tuesday.

"We probably should have finished it with maybe one over or nine balls to spare," he conceded.

"But it just goes to show if you play a couple of overs in a negative mode you get back into that chasing frame of mind.

"In the end, though, we finished it off pretty well."

Shakib - who revealed he is hoping to join a county squad in the near future, pending negotiations between his agent and prospective employers - conceded Bangladesh still have work to do.

"We did well to recover after our poor start with the bat - and then we bowled very well," he said.

"But our fielding is not up to the mark yet. We need to work on that.

"We need to learn from these warm-up games and we will."