A top-order failure had Bangladesh in trouble and they couldn’t recover as the visiting side conceded a 91-run defeat against host Sri Lanka in the first of the three-match ODI series at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo Friday.
In the process, Team Sri Lanka gave legendary pacer Lasith Malinga a winning farewell from the ODI format.
The Lankan pace maestro finished with three wickets, and a total of 358 in his ODI career playing 226 matches.
There was an effort for a revival with Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir Rahman adding 111 runs for the fourth wicket, but this was never enough.
Sabbir looked to be in touch taking on the Sri Lanka bowlers in the mid overs but got removed for 60 off 56 with seven boundaries.
The right-handed batsman registered his seventh ODI fifty, and his first innings of significance since the century scored against New Zealand in the beginning of the year.
@OfficialSLC top-order batsman @KusalJPerera dominated the @BCBtigers bowlers as he registered a fiery century and kept the home side in the driving seat in most parts of the innings.https://t.co/Sf0kXEWSOy#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #KUSAL
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 26, 2019
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiq had come to the series after finishing as the second highest-scorer for Bangladesh in the World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.
The right-handed batsman continued his good run of form but on the day, the 67-run innings only served to reduce the margin of defeat.
Mushfiq initially took it slow as Sabbir kept Sri Lanka busy in the hunt for the leather.
Mushfiq though perished in the first ball of the 39th over to Nuwan Pradeep.
Eventually the Bangladesh tail was removed as the innings innings on 223 in 41.4 overs.
The Tigers, backed by a late pullback by the bowlers, had the task to chase 315 on a wicket that had runs on offer.
Since my arrival in Colombo and whilst going to places related to cricket in the island, one discussion has been common – the farewell of the county’s pace legend Lasith Malinga.https://t.co/qYYWjUEEpR#LASITHMALINGA #LASITH #MALINGA #SRILANKA #CRICKET #SLC #SRILANKACRICKET
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 26, 2019
But as it happened, right-arm paceman Malinga produced toe crushers almost identical to those of his early playing days.
First, the Lanka legend removed Bangladesh captain for the series and opener Tamim Iqbal for a duck in the fifth ball of the innings to get the home crowd on its feet.
Tamim’s reflexive stride had him locked as the Malinga yorker went under his bat and smashed the leg stump.
Pardeep in between removed Mohammad Mithun while Malinga got his second wicket, removing Soumya Sarkar with an inside edge to the stumps following three yorkers at a stretch.
An ambitious uppercut saw Mahmudullah (three) give it away to Lahiru Kumara.
Malinga accounted for the final wicket of Mustafizur to spark wild celebration in the dugout, and the whole stadium.
@BCBtigers one-day international captain @TamimOfficial28 said he has nothing to worry but cricket as the side tour @OfficialSLC for a three-match ODI series.https://t.co/ZMmRrmdzgR#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #TAMIMIQBAL #TAMIM #IQBAL #SLC
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 24, 2019
Earlier, a late pullback by the Bangladesh bowlers kept host Sri Lanka to 314 for the loss of eight wickets in their stipulated 50 overs.
The home side batted first in what was Malinga’s farewell from ODIs.
Bangladesh made an early impact as right-arm pacer Shafiul Islam removed opener Avishka Fernando in the third over of the innings to leave the opposition reeling on 10/1 in 2.5 overs.
But from here on, it was the Kusal Perera show as he registered his fifth hundred in the format, and second against Bangladesh.
The left-handed batsman took toll of the Bangladesh bowlers as he struck a blazing 111 off 99 with 17 boundaries and an over boundary, and built the Sri Lanka innings with two big partnerships.
The first came with Dimuth Karunaratne for the second wicket as the duo posted 97 while the second with Kusal Mendis fetched 100 for the third wicket.
Lasith Malinga ends his ODI career with 338 wickets, as the 9th highest wicket-taker in the format; third highest for Sri Lanka! #ThankYouMalinga #LEGEND pic.twitter.com/dvRy80DTgj
— Sri Lanka Cricket ?? (@OfficialSLC) July 26, 2019
With Perera removed by medium-pacer Soumya in the 33rd over and following Mendis’ departure for 43, Bangladesh started to slow things down for the Lankans.
The Tigers got momentum with two quick wickets that had halted the score that once looked to reach 350.
Soon the Lankans were dry on boundaries.
From the 37th over till the 45th over, Bangladesh bowlers kept persisting, bowling in the right areas and denying Lahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews from scoring boundaries.
Sri Lanka struck only four boundaries in the last 10 overs as Bangladesh conceded 69 runs during this crucial period.
However, the ambition to add some runs in the last five overs saw Thirimanne depart for 25, while in the next over, Thisara Perera got dismissed.
Mustafizur removed Mathews for 48 in the 49th over, while Shafiul dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva to finish with three wickets.
1ST ODI
SRI LANKA INNINGS R B
Fernando c Soumya b Shafiul 7 13
Karunaratne c Mustafizur b Miraz 36 37
Kusal c Mustafizur b Soumya 111 99
Mendis c Mushfiq b Rubel 43 49
Mathews c Sabbir b Mustafizur 48 52
Thirimanne c Soumya b Mustafizur 25 30
Thisara c Soumya b Shafiul 2 3
De Silva c Sabbir b Shafiul 18 12
Malinga not out 6 6
Pradeep not out 0 0
Extras (lb 1, nb 1, w 16) 18
Total (50 Overs) 314/8
Fall Of Wickets
1-10 (Fernando), 2-107 (Karunaratne), 3-207 (Kusal), 4-212 (Mendis), 5-272 (Thirimanne), 6-276 (Thisara), 7-302 (Mathews), 8-309 (De Silva)
Bowling
Shafiul 9-0-62-3, Miraz 9-0-56-1, Rubel 9-0-54-1, Mosaddek 7-0-45-0, Mustafizur 10-0-75-2, Soumya 5-0-17-1, Mahmudullah 1-0-4-0
BANGLADESH INNINGS R B
Tamim b Malinga 0 5
Soumya b Malinga 15 22
Mithun lbw b Pradeep 10 21
Mushfiq c Mendis b Pradeep 67 86
Mahmudullah c sub b Kumara 3 10
Sabbir c Fernando b De Silva 60 56
Mosaddek run out (Mendis) 12 16
Miraz c Mendis b De Silva 2 5
Shafiul b Pradeep 2 9
Rubel not out 6 6
Mustafizur c Thisara b Malinga 18 14
Extras (lb 4, w 24) 28
Total (41.4 Overs) 223 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-1 (Tamim), 2-30 (Mithun), 3-30 (Soumya), 4-39 (Mahmudullah), 5-150 (Sabbir), 6-182 (Mosaddek), 7-187 (Miraz), 8-199 (Mushfiq), 9-200 (Shafiul), 10-223 (Mustafizur)
Bowling
Malinga 9.4-2-38-3, Pradeep 9-1-51-3, Thisara 6-0-36-0, Kumara 7-0-45-1, De Silva 10-0-49-2
Sri Lanka won by 91 runs
