Superb Tamim, gritty Shakib fire Bangladesh to crushing win over Sri Lanka

A remarkable batting effort from Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan has fired Bangladesh to a commanding 90-run win over Sri Lanka in the first ODI.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 March 2017, 08:44 AM
Updated : 25 March 2017, 08:03 PM

The Tigers shone with both the bat and the ball to take a 1-0 advantage in the series at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday.

Tamim smashed 127 while Shakib cracked 72, knocking up 144 together in 23.4 overs in the fourth wicket which helped the Tigers post a massive 324 for 5, their highest total against the hosts.

The pair capitalised on the opener’s 90-run partnership with Sabbir Rahman (54) before Mosaddek Hossain played a gem of an innings to push Bangladesh to their third highest ODI total, after 329 and 326 against Pakistan at home. 

The bowlers, led by skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (2-35), then put Sri Lanka’s top order to the sword with early wickets.

With the Sri Lankan chase in shambles on 31 for 3, Dinesh Chandimal struck a valiant 59 before Thisara Perera 55-run late cameo cut the margin of defeat to less than 100.

Teenaged offspinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz impressed on debut by grabbing two wickets while Mustafizur Rahman returned 3-56 as Bangladesh bundled Sri Lanka out for 234 with nearly five overs to spare.

The Bangladesh batsmen exploited some poor show in the field from Sri Lanka, punishing them for inconsistent bowling from either end.

They blasted 109 runs from the last 10 overs to post their highest total against Sri Lanka and the fourth highest total against them in their backyard.

Mosaddek Hossain (24) and Mahmudullah (13) hammered 35 in the last 13 balls to put icing on the top of a mature batting display.

After being asked to bat first, Bangladesh lost Soumya Sarkar (10) early but Sabbir then took on the bowlers by hitting six boundaries for his first 24 runs, allowing Tamim to anchor at the other end.

With the hosts’ bowlers, barring pacer Suranga Lakmal, struggling to bowl in good areas, the duo surged past 100 in the 19th over.

Sabbir overturned an on-field lbw decision on review when he on 42 before reaching his fourth half-century off 48 deliveries hitting nine boundaries.

Sri Lanka then landed a double blow to dent the Tigers’ innings. Sabbir fell to a stunning effort from Upul Tharanga at short cover before Mushfiqur Rahim (1) sent a return catch to Lakshan Sandakan four balls later, and in came Shakib.

A day after his 30th birthday, Shakib appeared composed and willing to keep the swing of his willow to a minimum. He scored his first boundary off the 37th delivery he faced, though he kept the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos.

The pair paced the innings superbly, taking advantage of some poor fielding from the hosts, to stretch the partnership into the batting powerplay while Tamim, who reached his 10,000 international runs in the first over, inched closer to his century.

With Shakib pressing on at the other end, the left-handed batsman slowed down in his 90s. Eventually he worked one away to complete the century, leaping in the air to celebrate.

The ace allrounder then hammered three boundaries in the last over of powerplay and Bangladesh’s first six in the next over, before miscuing a cheeky stroke to be picked out.

Tamim then stepped up and cracked another six over square leg, which reached over the ropes due to a drop catch there, but pacer Lahiru Kumara got his man in the next ball.

Mosaddek and Mahmudullah carried Bangladesh past 300.