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Pathum Nissanka celebrates his century
Towhid Hridoy top scored for Bangladesh with 96 not out - AFP/Getty Images
Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh last night in the second ODI by three wickets at Chattogram to level the series 1-1 with the final on Monday to decide the fate.
Chasing a competitive Bangladesh score of 286 for 7, Sri Lanka reached victory with 17 balls remaining.
For Sri Lanka it was an improved performance overall as against the loss from Bangladesh in the first encounter by six wickets.
The win was powered by Pathum Nissanaka who scored 114 off 113 balls with three 6s and thirteen 4s and Charith Asalanka 91 off 93 balls with six 4s and four 6s.
They shared a record breaking 185-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The previous best for the 4th wicket was 171 between Arjuna Ranatunga and Roshan Mahanama.
The partnership was crucial as Sri Lanka was struggling at three wickets down for 43 runs in the seventh over.
A 34-run partnership between Wanindu Hasaranga (25) and Dunith Wellalage (15 not out) brought stability to Sri Lanka innings which suffered another mini collapse by losing 3 wickets in 23 runs. Sadeera Samarawickrama got out cheaply again for 1 continuing his dismal patch after being out for 3 in the first ODI.
In Bangladesh’s innings, there were innings of substance from Soumya Sarkar (68) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (40), Towhid Hridoy (96 not out off 102).
Hridoy along with Taskin Ahmed, whose cameo of 18 off 10 also provided excellent support, the pair put on 50 off just 23 deliveries as Bangladesh scored 80 off the final 10 overs - 54 of which came in the final five. The hosts’ showcase of big hits late in the innings helped them grab the momentum at
the break.
Wanindu Hasaranga, who had gone wicketless last time out, had threatened to derail Bangladesh’s efforts grabbing four wickets for 45 runs, while Dilshan Madushanka too proved pivotal grabbing two wickets early in the innings, as well as a superb take in the deep to dismiss Sarkar. But worryingly for Sri Lanka he walked off the field midway through his seventh over clutching his left hamstring.
With the potential of evening dew firmly on their minds, Sri Lanka had won the toss and elected to bowl first this time out.
Madushanka wasted little time – just three deliveries in fact – in sending Litton Das packing for a second consecutive duck.
And it might have been even better for the visitors had Pathum Nissanka at slip held on to a thick edge from Shanto off Pramod Madushan an over later, or indeed if Sri Lanka had had the presence of mind to review a waft from the same batter two balls later, one which replays showed he
had nicked.
Shanto to his credit rode this luck and used it as a catalyst to take the attack to the Lankan seamers, scoring 64 inside the first power play. A couple of sumptuous drives through the covers on the up showed his growing confidence, but his innings was cut short as he edged a seaming delivery from Madushanka through to Kusal Mendis for an acrobatic take.
Mahmudullah was out when he charged Hasaranga to swing all around a googly to find himself stumped miles out of his crease. This meant Bangladesh had suddenly gone from 130 for 2 to 130 for 4, and it was left to Hridoy and Mushfiqur Rahim to consolidate. And so they did in a stand worth 43 off 57.
But just as Mushfiqur had begun to shift gears, Hasaranga struck once more. A tossed-up leg break on leg stump saw Mushfiqur miss his attempt at a sweep, and the resulting appeal for leg before was both loud and long. But with umpire Masudur Rahman unmoved, Sri Lanka went for the review, which vindicated their excitement with three reds.
