Bangladesh miss home ODI series sweep of Sri Lanka with 97-run loss

Bangladesh have capped off the home series against Sri Lanka with a 97-run loss in the final ODI thanks to a scintillating century by Kusal Perera and Dushmatha Chameera’s career-best performance, missing out on what would be their first ever series sweep of the former world champions.

The hosts followed up poor bowling and fielding with a dismal batting show at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Friday, being all out for 189 with more than 7 overs in hand in the chase of 287 for a win.

The victory earned Sri Lanka their first points in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League.

On top of the league with the victories over the 1996 World Cup winners in the first two matches, the Tigers' chase never got going as Chameera's fiery new-ball burst through the top-order in the first powerplay took out three batsmen including Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.

Only Mushfiqur Rahim and Mosaddek Hossain offered any sort of resistance, putting on 56 runs for the fourth wicket. But the wicketkeeper-batsman, who had starred in Bangladesh's first two victories with 84 and 125, fell at 28 off 54.

Mosaddek gave away his wicket just after making a promising fifty as Ramesh Mendis struck in quick successions.

Man-of-the-match Chameera then came back for a second spell to pick up two more wickets and register a fifer, finally giving away only 16 runs in 9 overs.

Mahmudullah carved the other half century of the Bangladesh innings to become the most successful batsman of his side with 53 runs.

After winning the toss for the first time in the series, Perera did not hesitate to choose batting. Partnering with Danushka Gunathilaka, Perera took the Lankans to 70 with no loss in 10 overs.

Taskin Ahmed then delivered a double whammy by claiming the scalps of Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka in the 12th over.

The pacer went on to claim two more wickets in his final spell. By this time though Perera had already got enough support to help Sri Lanka set the challenging target losing six wickets.

Taskin’s 4 for 46 is his best bowling figures against Sri Lanka.

Mushfiqur has been declared Player of the Series.

Captain Tamim later termed the loss "disappointing" as the Tigers failed to earn the full 30 points for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League that was up for grabs.

Speaking to reporters after the match, he said: “It's not like bilateral series that you win two matches, win the series and there is nothing more to achieve.

"Every match is important. You never know these 10 points might come back to bite us. We should have grabbed full points as there was an opportunity.

“We did not bat as per our expectations. The bowling was good while the fielding was good in the opening two games but today it (fielding) was like we were back in the same, bad place. We failed to hold important catches." 

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 286 for 6 in 50 overs (Kusal Perera 120, Dhananjaya de Silva 55; Taskin Ahmed 4-46) beat Bangladesh 189 all out in 42.3 overs ( Mosaddek Hossain 51, Mahmudullah 53; Dushmatha Chameera 5-16 ) by 97 runs.