There were some doubts over Lanka’s competitiveness as they entered the tournament considering the second-string side they were forced to field due to injuries to some regular members.
However, mid-way through the tournament, Sri Lanka stand as the team to beat and the ease with which they scaled down 249 posted by Bangladesh after they were asked to bat provided further evidence.
The return of Mahela Jayawardene, drafted into the side following a groin injury to Tillakaratne Dilshan, has added strength and experience to the Lankan batting line-up. The elegant right-hander did not disappoint the bigwigs, producing an effortless hundred.
Upul Tharanga has been in fine fettle of late, and the left-hander cashed in on the rich vein of form to crack another hundred, and shared a 215-run alliance with Jayawardene in 37.5 overs to take Lanka home with ease. However, the protagonist of the evening had to be Jayawardene.
The touch artist was struggling in the recent Twenty20 and one-day series against India, but Jayawardene was in no mood to let go an opportunity to register some runs against his name on the day. The toothless bowling of Bangladesh was a good chance for him, and the right-hander played a typically elegant innings to power the Lankans.
It was a surprise to see him walking to open the innings in place of Lahiru Thirumane, who had opened against India, and Jayawardene got into his groove straightaway. Pace bowler Rubel Hossain bore the brunt of his aggression as Jayawardene smashed him for three fours in his first over. A classic cover drive, a well-timed flick and a rasping square cut got him off the blocks, and he seldom looked back from that point, eventually reaching the three-figure mark with a fine cut off left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak.
At the other end, Tharanga too was in superb touch, perhaps more at ease in the middle than his senior partner, playing crisp-as-chips shots on the off-side as Bangladesh bowlers soon gave up their fight. Tharanga reached his hundred with a cut off Shakib.
However, the hosts might have given up their hopes collectively much earlier when they dished out a mediocre batting performance, especially in the batting Power Play, taken from 43rd over. Bangladesh were well-poised at that stage for a late charge at 199 for four, but they lost five wickets in the Power Play for a mere 32 runs, spoiling their ambitions of a near 300 total.
The three frontline batsmen too should cop blame for Bangladesh posting a below par total. Imrul Kayes, Raqibul Hasan and skipper Shakib al Hasan got a good platform but they failed to capitalise, throwing their wickets away playing pre-determined, loose shots.
Off-spinner Suraj Randiv and medium-pacer Thissara Perera bowled tight spells in the middle overs to add to the pressure, and the Lankans also fielded well to clamp down Bangladesh batsmen.
Score Board
BANGLADESH
Iqbal lbw Randiv 21
(22b, 2x4,1x6)
Kayes lbw Perera 42
(54b, 4x4, 1x6)
Ashraful (run out) 13
(14b, 2x4)
Raqibul c Randiv b Perera 43
(71b, 2x4)
Shakib c Tharanga b Thushara 47
(75b, 1x4)
Rahim c Bandara b Randiv 32
(22b, 2x4, 2x6)
Mahmudulla (not out) 24
(24b, 2x4)
Islam b Kulasekara 5
(3b, 1x4)
Razzak (not out) 1
(1b)
Hossain c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 0
(4b)
Rasel (not out) 7
(10b, 1x4)
Extras (B-1, W-13) 14
Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 249
Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Rahim), 2-73 (Ashraful), 3-88 (Kayes), 4-165 (Raqibul), 5-199 (Shakib), 6-211 (Rahim), 7-223 (Islam), 8-227 (Razzak), 9-231 (Hossain).
Bowling: Kulasekara 10-1-48-2 (w-3), Thushara 9-0-67-1 (w-8), Randiv 10-1-40-2, Perera 10-0-32-2 (w-1), Bandara 10-0-44-0 (w-1), Samaraweera 1-0-17-0.
Runs during Power Plays: Power Play 1: 1-10: 52/1, Power Play 2: 11-15: 27/1; Power Play 3 (batting): 43-47: 32/5.
SRI LANKA
Tharanga (not out) 118
(126b, 18x4)
Jayawardene c Rahim b Islam 108
(117b, 13x4)
Sangakkara (not out) 17
(14b, 2x4)
Extras (LB-1, W-8) 9
Total (1 wkt, 42.5 overs) 252
Fall of wickets: 1-215 (Jayawardene).
Bowling: Rasel 6-0-37-0, Hossain 8-0-59-0 (w-1), Islam 5-0-35-1 (w-1), Shakib 8-2-27-0 (w-1), Mahmudulla 2-0-16-0, Razzak 8-0-41-0 (w-4), Ashraful 5-0-29-0, Iqbal 0.5-0-7-0 (w-1)
Runs during Power Plays: Power Play 1: 1-10: 68/0, Power Play 2 (Batting): 40-44: 31/1. Bowling Power Play: not taken.