SL under-19 completes record 5-0 whitewash as Bangladesh falls short again

Sri Lankan players grab the stumps as souvenirs as they win the fifth ODI match by four runs to complete a 5-0 whitewash of the ODI series against Bangladesh

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

For the third time in the five-match Under-19 ODI series Bangladesh fell agonisingly short of beating Sri Lanka and lost the fifth and final match by four runs at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

The win meant that Sri Lanka made a clean sweep of the series 5-0, the first time they have ever achieved the feat at this level of cricket in a bilateral series. Sri Lanka won the first ODI by 42 runs, the second by one run, the third by three wickets and the fourth by one wicket.

Chasing a target of 241, Bangladesh seemed on course to record their first win of the series at 223-4. At that stage Bangladesh required 18 off 17 balls with six wickets in hand. But once again they made a complete hash of it and threw away a golden opportunity as they lost their last six wickets for 13 runs to be all out for 236.

To Sri Lanka’s credit it must be said that they held their nerve and fought till the very end to steal a win which at one time was heavily in favour of the visitors.

Skipper Dunith Wellalage bowled the crucial final over with Bangladesh requiring nine with three wickets in hand. He picked up two wickets off the first four balls and with five required off the last ball ran out the last man for a duck to clinch an exciting win.

A feature of Sri Lanka’s batting after they won the toss and batted first was the first and only century of the series scored by fast bowling all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe. Promoted to open left-hander Wickramasinghe delighted everyone with a stroke-filled knock of 102 off 123 balls that comprised 10 fours and 3 sixes. 

Shevon Daniel who scored 59 off 85 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) figured in a second wicket stand of 154 off 182 balls with Wickramasinghe which laid the foundation for Sri Lanka’s total of 240-9.   

Mahfijul Islam and Aich Mollah made 50s for Bangladesh at the top, but the rest of the batting simply collapsed in a heap.

Scores

nSri Lanka (U-19) 240-9 (50) (Chamindu Wickramasinghe 102, Shevon Daniel 59, Dunith Wellalage 20, Mushfik Hasan 3/37, Ripon Mondol 2/43, Ahosan Habib 2/56)

nBangladesh (U-19) 236 (49.5) (Mahfijul Islam 62, Ifthiker Hossain 32, Prantik Nawrose Nabil 33, Aich Mollah 55, Ariful Islam 21, Vinuja Ranpul 2/21, Dunith Wellalage 2/38)