Sri Lanka traded experience for youth for their assignment against Bangladesh. In a matter of just over two days, life came in a full circle when their captain Kusal Perera cited the lack of experience as a contributing factor for their first ever ODI series defeat to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh rode on a majestic 125 from Mushfiqur Rahim to reach 246. Mehidy Hasan Miraz (3-28) and Mustafizur Rahman (3-16), just like the last match, then put on a brilliant display to restrict Sri Lanka to 141/9 to hand them a 103-run defeat, courtesy DLS method. Shakib Al Hasan, too, had 2-38.
Sri Lanka’s innings never took off. Their batters arrived, took their time, and got their eyes in. And when the time came to convert the starts into substantial innings, they simply found ways of getting out. It was a grave dereliction of duty from a set of batters upon whom the management has placed a heavy burden to rekindling their team’s limited-overs form.
Danushka Gunathilaka’s 24 was the highest score of the match. The rest, as many as eight of them, touched double digits, but none of them could play an innings of significance. Debutant Shoriful Islam provided the hosts with the first breakthrough by getting Kusal Perera caught by Tamim Iqbal.
Pathum Nissanka and Gunathilaka were watchful after this, with the latter looking solid until getting caught by Mustafizur at the deep point.
Earlier, Bangladesh got themselves in trouble after losing their top four batters inside 15 overs. Dushmantha Chameera struck twice in his first over, nailing both Tamim and Shakib on the pad. Liton Das scored 25 off 42 before being removed by Lakshan Sandakan, who also had Mosaddek Hossain caught by Kushal Perera to reduce the hosts to 74/4.
Yet again, Mushfiqur held his nerves and added a crucial partnership with Mahmudullah for the fifth wicket, similar to the last game where both got half-centuries. However, Mahmudullah could not make it two in two: he fell prey to Sandakan on 41.
Mahmudullah’s dismissal exposed the tail. Mushfiqur got little support from them, though he has already completed his century, with the help of 10 fours. His dismissal brought an end to Bangladesh’s innings, with eleven balls to spare.
Brief scores
Bangladesh 246 in 48.1 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 125; Dushmantha Chameera 3-44) beat Sri Lanka 141/9 in 40 overs (Danushka Gunathilaka 24; Mustafizur Rahman 3-16) by 103 runs (DLS Method). Player of the Match: Mushfiqur Rahim.