Sri Lanka scrape to win in Dhaka

Cricket365
February 17, 2014

Sri Lanka won the first ODI against Bangladesh by 13 runs in Dhaka on Monday, though were well on their way to defeat before the Tigers batting order imploded, losing eight wickets for 53 runs.

Sri Lanka scored by 180 all out in the rain-reduced match, using just 40 of the 43 overs on offer, and it was only thanks to Thisara Perera's 80 not out that they managed a defendable score.

The Tigers then made their way to 114 with just two wickets down, but then once Shamsur Rahman was out for 62 the rest of the order gave up the ghost and they ended up all out for 167 runs.

The match was delayed by two hours as rain complicated matters, and then the overs were reduced to 43 per side. Bangladesh win the toss and chose to bowl first, which was an excellent decision for the most part.

The visitors soon found themselves two down for 28 runs, and by the 21st over were eight down for 67. But then, just as an early finish looked likely, Thisara and Sachithra Senanayake joined forces for 82 runs over 14 overs.

The reply got off to a poor start when Anamul Haque was removed for a duck, but then Shamsur and Mominul Haque put on 79 runs together and all seemed well for the hosts. For much of the game, their required rate was less than three.

But once Shamsur was out for 62, run out by Lasith Malinga, and Mominul was out for 44, the end was suddenly nigh. The last six wickets all fell for single figures, as Angelo MAthews took three wickets.

Bangladesh: Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Sohag Gazi, Al-Amin Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Rubel Hossain.

Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Angelo Mathews (capt), Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachitra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga.