Sri Lanka ride on Dilshan ton

Bangla tumble to seven-wicket loss

Mohammad Ashraful’s mellowed fifty (75, 94b, 6x4) was the backbone of Bangladesh’s 260 for seven after Sri Lanka asked them to bat first, a calculated move keeping the dew factor in mind. Lankans hunted down the target with ease for a seven-wicket win.

The total was expected to give the visitors some tough moments, but Tillakaratne Dilshan, who registered his sixth one-day hundred, and Upul Tharanga provided ample indications of a Lankan charge while adding 35 runs in just 3.4 overs. The dismissal of Tharanga only added further pace to the proceedings as Dilshan and skipper Kumar Sangakkara added 148 runs in just 25.2 overs to turn the match decisively in favour of Sri Lanka.

Dilshan’s innings was devoid of the customary brutality as the right-hander played a rather conventional innings and it had much to do with the slow nature of the pitch than any real quality in Bangladesh bowling.

The hosts’ bowlers erred in line and length so often that there was no dearth of freebies for both the batsmen as they did not have to take any undue risks to gather runs.
Debutant pacer Shahiul Islam eventually broke the partnership when he induced an edge from Sangakkara for Mushfiqur Rahim to complete a catch behind the stumps.

However, by then Bangladesh team and their fans, though not much to count, had already accepted the inevitable.

Earlier, Bangladesh overcame a shaky period in the initial stages to post a competitive total. Openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes added 65 runs for the first wicket in just over 12 overs before Nuwan Kulasekara jettisoned the former to snap the blossoming alliance.

Kayes’ dismissal followed a phase where Bangladesh lost three more wickets while adding just nine runs. Iqbal, Raqibul Hasan and skipper Shakib-al-Hasan returned to the hut as the home side slid to 74 for four, and a quick end to their innings seemed imminent.

However, Ashraful in the company of Rahim steadied the ship, milking 58 runs for the fifth wicket. They scored at less than four per over, but that partnership was just what Bangladesh needed at that time.

The sixth-wicket alliance between Ashraful and Mahmudulla provided them the desired momentum as they added 95 runs in a little over 15 overs.

Ashraful played a mature innings, curbing his natural aggressive instincts in tune with the demands of the situation. Naeem Islam powered them past 250 with a last over blitz off paceman Suranga Lakmal, whom he smashed for 20 runs.

Score Board

BANGLADESH
Iqbal c Lakmal b Dilshan    40
(46b, 5x4)
Kayes c S’weera b Kulasekara    23
(37b, 2x4)
Ashraful (run out)    75
(94b, 6x4)
Raqibul c S’weera b Lakmal    0
(6b)
Shakib c Welegedera b Lakmal    1
(7b)
Rahim lbw Randiv    35
(52b, 3x4)
Mahmudulla lbw Randiv    45
(47b, 3x4, 1x6)
N Islam (not out)    22
(9b, 1x4, 2x6)
Razzak (not out)     1
(2b)
Extras (LB-3, W-15)    18
Total (for 7 wkts, 50 overs)    260

Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Kayes), 2-71 (Iqbal), 3-71 (Raqibul), 4-74 (Shakib), 5-132 (Rahim), 6-227 (Mahmudulla), 7-238 (Ashraful).

Bowling: Kulasekara 10-1-46-1, Welegerdera 8-0-39-0 (w-1), Dilshan 3-0-16-1 (w-1), Lakmal 9-1-63-2 (w-8), Randiv 10-0-51-2 (w-4), Kandamby 5-0-21-0, Pushpakumara 5-0-21-0 (w-1).

Runs during Power Plays: Power Play 1: 1-10: 49/0, Power Play 2: 11-15: 22/3; Power Play 3 (batting): 45-49: 43/2.

SRI LANKA
Tharanga c Rahim b Rubel    14
(15b, 2x4)
Dilshan c N Islam b Mahmudulla    104
(122b, 12x4)
Sangakkara c Rahim b Islam    74
(73b, 10x4)
Samaraweera (not out)    41
(54b, 5x4)
Silva (not out)    4
(7b)
Extras (B-4, LB-9, W-9, NB-2)    24
Total (for 3 wkts, 44.5 overs)    261

Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Tharanga), 2-183 (Sangakkara), 3-242 (Dilshan).

Bowling: S Islam 5-0-39-1 (nb-1), Hossain 7-0-47-1 (nb-1, w-2), Shakib 10-0-43-0 (w-1), Razzak 10-0-37-0 (w-2); Mahmudulla 6-0-32-1, N Islam 5.5-0-39-0 (w-3); Ashraful 1-0-11-0 (w-1).

Runs during Power Play: Power Play 1: 1-10: 81/1, Power Play 2 (bowling): 22-26: 32/0; Power Play 3 (batting): 42-46: 21/1.