Bangladesh suffer big defeat in last ODI as Sri Lanka level series

Sri Lanka have bounced back from defeat to sink Bangladesh in the last ODI by 70 runs and square the series 1-1, crushing the tourists hopes of a maiden series win against them.

Upul Tharanga and his men, in the process, also ended their six-match losing run in the format.

A blistering start from the openers, a crucial half-century from Kusal Mendis and a superb cameo from Thisara Perera propelled Sri Lanka to the total.

Nuwan Kulasekara then shone with a four-wicket haul as the more recognised of Bangladesh batsmen, barring Shakib Al Hasan, offered meek resistance against a tight bowling performance.

Bangladesh batting suffered collapses twice, making the defeat unavoidable in effect but Mehedi Hasan Miraz’s maiden half-century helped his team cross 200 to gain some respectability.

Playing for their first series win against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh’s chase was off to a horrible start when Sri Lanka tore through the top order 21 balls into the hunt.

Tamim (4) perished in the opening over giving a return catch to Kulasekara, who had Sabbir Rahman throwing his bat outside the offfstump without any footwork to depart for a duck.

In the next over, Suranga Lakmal trapped Mushfiqur Rahim leg before. The batsman went for a review but could not avoid his second successive golden duck in the series, leaving Bangladesh tottering on 11 for 3 in the fourth over.

Shakib Al Hasan and Soumya Sarkar then soaked up the early pressure and launched a courageous fightback.

They hammered 20 off Dilruwan Perera’s offspin to turn the tables on the bowlers by reaching 60 in 10 overs before cropping up the half-century partnership. But just when the asking rate had dipped below the original, Sri Lanka struck again.

Dilruwan responded strongly after taking the battering earlier. He extracted sharp turn and bounce from the surface. He exacted revenge with a beautiful delivery which dismiss Soumya and ended the 77-run resistance, turning the tides decisively in favour of the hosts.

On 38, the left-handed opener misread the pitch and strolled down the track but the ball zipped past the outside edge, leaving Chandimal with an easy task of whipping off the bails.

Another collapse ensued as Seekkuge Prasanna went through the gates of Mosaddek Hossain (9) before Shakib fell to Dilruwan for 54.

Mahmudullah (7) soon followed them after gloving a Lakmal bouncer back to Dinesh Chandimal, leaving Bangladesh in tatters on 127 for 7.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (16) and Miraz added 28 for the eighth wicket. Mashrafe, however, walked back off Prasanna as Sri Lanka inched closer to snapping their six-match losing run, but the 19-year-old pressed on.

With the sunlight fading in the horizon, Miraz and Taskin Ahmed chopped off 54 more off the target. The pair pushed Bangladesh total past 200 in the 43rd over but the early damage was irreparable as they needed 72 off the last six deliveries.

Miraz cracked six boundaries before being caught on 51 at the edge of the circle in the first ball of the 45th over, and Taskin followed him back two balls later.

The experienced Kulasekara took 4-37 while Lakmal, Dilruwan and Prasanna bagged two wicket each. Sri Lanka players also put up an energetic show in the field to boost their chances of the victory.

Bangladesh bowlers, on the other hand, may have done well to curb a fine Sri Lankan start earlier, but some wayward bowling and slapdash fielding left them with a tough total to chase for their first series win in their subcontinent opponents.

Tharanga and Danushka Gunathilaka both looked in fine touch and gave Sri Lanka a breezy start with a 76-run opening stand.

Bangladesh bowlers struggled to get their line and length right, giving away 12 extras in the first nine overs.

Movement off the seam was at a minimum as Mustafizur Rahman was hammered for three boundaries to be replaced after six overs. Both batsmen hoisted a six each to breeze away past 50 in the eighth over.

After Mahmudullah was given the ball for an over to soak up the flow of runs, young Miraz once again came to the tourists’ rescue. He outsmarted Gunathilaka in flight as the batsman drove it straight to Mahmudullah, falling for 34.

Taskin Ahmed then bowled a barrage of short deliveries to push the batsmen back before squaring up Tharanga with a length ball to have him castled on 35.

The wickets stemmed the flow of runs and Sri Lanka had to wait more than 50 balls to get another boundary. Chandimal punished Taskin for being wayward with a cracking drive and a flick off the pads.

Chandimal and Mendis scored 49 for the third wicket but just when Sri Lanka appeared to have broken the shackles, Bangladesh struck back with two quick run outs.

Chandimal lazily ran himself out for 21 before Milinda Siriwardana (12) was also caught out of the crease, leaving Mendis to hold the innings together from 161 for 4.

The 22-year-old Mendis (54) continued his fine form and cruised to another half-century off 66 balls to keep the scoreboard ticking. But Mustafizur got his man with a delivery away from the body which took a slim edge on its way to Mushfiqur's gloves.

With the batting powerplay closing in, Mashrafe employed Mosaddek and Miraz who tightened the screws to restrict Asela Gunaratne and Perera.

The skipper then reaped the reward by taking out Gunaratne for 34. But after Mosaddek made a mess of a straight forward run out opportunity, Mustafizur dismissed Prasanna (1). Sri Lanka managed just 28 runs at the expense two wickets in the batting powerplay.

But Perera made amends and blazed away to his second half-century of the series off 37 deliveries with four boundaries and a huge six. It was the first time the allrounder hit two fifties in a series.

He and Dilruwan cropped up 45 off 27 deliveries to raise Sri Lanka’s highest eighth wicket stand before the latter went down swinging in the last over. Perera fell in the penultimate ball off Mashrafe but his 52 gave the hosts a good total.

The Bangladesh captain returned 3-65 while Mustafizur took 2-55. Miraz and Taskin chipped in with a wicket each. Shakib went wicketless for 41 in 8 overs.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka: 280/9 in 50 overs (Gunathilaka 34, Tharanga 35, Mendis 54, Chandimal 21, Siriwardana 12, Gunaratne 34, Thisara 54, Prasanna 1, Dilruwan 15, Kulasekara 1*, Lakmal 2*; Mashrafe 3/65, Mustafizur 2/55, Miraz 1/49, Taskin 1/50, Mahmudullah 0/5, Shakib 0/41, Mosaddek 0/13)

Bangladesh: 210 in 44.3 overs (Tamim 4, Soumya 38, Sabbir 0, Mushfiqur 0, Shakib 54, Mosaddek 9, Mahmudullah 7, Miraz 51, Mashrafe 16, Taskin 14, Mustafizur 1*; Kulasekara 4/37, Lakmal 2/38, Dilruwan 2/47, Thisara 0/14, Gunaratne 0/16, Prasanna 2/33, Siriwardana 0/23)

Result: Sri Lanka win by 70 runs

Series: Drawn (1-1)

Best player of the match: Thisara Perera

Best player of the series: Kusal Mendis