Tigers crumble to 10-wkt loss

A day-night match was completed in broad daylight yesterday following Bangladesh's dismal batting show in the last league match of the tri-series that was dubbed as a dress rehearsal for the home side for Saturday's final. Sri Lanka required only 35.5 overs -- 24 overs to dismiss the Tigers for 82 and then 11.5 overs to reach the target -- to post a crushing 10-wicket victory to set the stage for a repeat match in Saturday's final.

But what was the demon that brought the high-flying Bangladesh crashing down to earth?

The TV cameras found former Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha with a big smile inside the dressing room when Rubel Hossain, the last Bangladesh batsman, hit a slog sweep off Lakshan Sandakan straight into the safe hands of Upul Tharanga at long on to confirm Bangladesh's ninth-lowest ODI total.

There was a reason for the former Tigers mentor to be delighted with the big win after an embarrassing 163-run loss against the home side, especially as it took them to the final, but it would not be wise for Bangladesh to identify the demon solely in Hathurusingha's inside knowledge of his former charges, or his qualities as a good tactician, as evidenced by the bouncer ploy that dispatched Mahmudullah Riyad yesterday.

There was also no scope to raise the finger towards a pitch that produced variable bounce and pace, but examining the manner of the dismissals of the batsmen will reveal the main reason behind that batting blues and the middle-order's inability to show character after the failure to deliver of the two stalwarts Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan.

The previous match against Zimbabwe, when Bangladesh lost their last eight wickets for 114 runs, was a portent of the middle-order blues but the fatal crack was found in yesterday's match.   

It is not certain whether the home team was complacent after their place in the final was secured, but the application of the batsmen was pathetic and that was only exacerbated by the fact that Suranga Lakmal, who tormented the Bangladesh top order with three wickets, Thisara Perera and Dushmantha Chameera were sharp and intense in their efforts while executing the plans formed by the shrewd Hathurusingha.

Anamul Haque got an inside edge off Lakmal into his stumps in the third over, which once again put the onus on Tamim and Shakib but an electric piece of fielding from Danushka Gunathilaka saw Shakib several feet short of the crease after Tamim pushed a ball square on the off side, and that was when the mayhem began.

Tamim was soon to follow his partner when he was unable to manage a bouncer from Lakmal as he fended the ball behind square on the off side and it was another spectacular effort from Gunathilaka to dive and complete a catch that he tracked down from backward point.

The Shakib-Tamim departure set a platform for the rest to prove that the team were not heavily dependent on them and that they have the depth to make up for their loss, but Lakmal bounced out Mahmudullah as the right-hander picked out Chameera at fine leg, the only man on the leg side. Sabbir Rahman irresponsibly hoisted Thisara to mid-on. Abul Hasan, who came into the team in place of Sunzamul Islam, then edged Thisara to the wicketkeeper before Mushfiqur Rahim, the highest scorer with 26 runs, bunted a slower from Chameera to short midwicket. The struggling Nasir Hossain chased a short and wide delivery from Chameera to be caught behind.

One cannot take anything away from the good bowling effort of Sri Lanka, especially the way they executed their dressing room plans, but the Tigers had their own problems that contributed to the debacle.

The poor showing also handed all the momentum to Sri Lanka who, unlike Bangladesh, have the experience of winning tournament finals. The onus now is on Bangladesh to prove that it was just a bad day, but they will not be able to do that without solving a growing crisis in the middle order.