Mushfiqur Rahim’s fine 125 helped Bangladesh to recover from 74/4 and post a fighting total of 246. The Sri Lankan batting once again flopped as the Bangladesh bowlers put up a brilliant all-round show to lead Bangladesh to their first-ever ODI series win over Sri Lanka.
It was way back in 1986 that Bangladesh first faced Sri Lanka in an ODI game. In 35 years, the two sides played 48 games in ODI cricket before the start of this series, and Bangladesh managed a mere seven wins. They could never beat Sri Lanka in a bilateral ODI series. Despite their resurgence in the last few years, Sri Lanka continued to have the wood over Bangladesh.
However, that changed in this series. After a fantastic win in the first ODI, Bangladesh backed that performance up with a resounding 103-run win (D/L method) in the second to clinch their maiden ODI series win over Sri Lanka. And it was once again led by the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim.
Bangladesh won their second toss in a row and opted to bat first. The hosts didn’tdidn’t get off to the best of starts as they lost two of their premier batters in the second over. Tamim Iqbal smashed three boundaries off the first three balls to kickstart the innings as Isuru Udana gave away 15 off the first over.
However, Dushmantha Chameera came in and dismissed Tamim along with Shakib Al Hasan in the space of four deliveries. Chameera bowled a fuller length and pinned both Tamim and Shakib in front and had them LBW. Chameera went through his first spell with superb figures of 5-2-17-2.
Liton Das hung around for a while but didn’t last long. Neither did Mosaddek Hossain, as Bangladesh slumped to 74/4 in the 16th over. Lakshan Sandakan was the man who got both wickets as both batters threw their wickets away.
However, Mushfiqur Rahim, who walked out to bat in the second over, was the rock of the Bangladesh innings. He held one end up and batted beautifully. The veteran wicket-keeper batsman started off cautiously but was rotating the strike well. Like the first ODI, the resurrection came with the stand of Rahim and Mahmudullah.
The duo added 87 runs for the fifth wicket. Rahim had gone past the 50-run mark in the 30th over, and it came off 70 balls. A few later, Mahmudullah fell to some brilliance from Kusal Perera behind the stumps as he anticipated the paddle sweep from Mahmudullah and grabbed a stunner down the leg-side. That wicket triggered a slight collapse as Bangladesh slipped to 184/7 from 161/4.
But Rahim on the other hand, upped the ante and helped Bangladesh get to a fighting total. He went from 70 (95) to his eighth ODI ton in just 21 balls before finishing with 125 off 127, with his last 55 runs coming off just 32 balls. Bangladesh couldn’t bat out the 50 overs, but Rahim’s flourish helped them get to 246.
Chasing just under five runs an over on a slightly tricky surface, Sri Lanka got off to a watchful start Danushka Gunathilaka, and Kusal Perera added 23 runs in the first five overs before Shoriful Islam drew first blood for Bangladesh as Perera hit one to mid-off. Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka were shared a sedate 29-run stand which lasted 8.3 overs. Mustafizur Rahman was the one who got the breakthrough as he had Gunathilaka caught at a deep point.
It was then a proper strangle from the spinners as Shakib, and Mehidy Hasan shared five wickets between them. The spin duo barely gave away any loose deliveries, and the Sri Lankan batters couldn’t get the boundaries. Mustafizur came back and picked up a couple of wickets towards the end. Before Bangladesh could wrap things up, rain came down, reducing the contest to 40 overs.
Sri Lanka ended on 141/9, losing by a mammoth 103 runs. It was their fifth successive defeat this year, and they continue to remain in negative points in the ICC Men’sMen’s Cricket World Cup Super League. Meanwhile, Bangladesh have ascended to the top with 50 points from eight matches.
Brief Scores
Bangladesh 246 (Rahim 125, Mahmudullah 41, Chameera 3/44, Sandakan 3/54) beat Sri Lanka 141/9 (Gunathilaka 24, Mustafizur 3/16, Mehidy 3/28, Shakib 2/38) by 103 runs (D/L method)
