Tigers reach new peak in SL demolition

The Bangladesh cricketers may not speak openly about their excitement and eagerness to perform in the post-Chandika Hathurusingha era, especially against the team now led by their former coach, but the approach and attitude was evident on the field as they romped to their largest ODI win when they beat Sri Lanka by 163 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

Bangladesh's previous largest victory margin, in terms of runs, was against West Indies in 2012, when they won by 160 runs in Khulna. To add the cherry on top, yesterday's win took the hosts to the final of the tri-series with 10 points and two games to spare courtesy of the bonus points earned after their comprehensive wins against Sri Lanka yesterday and Zimbabwe on January 15.

There was a notion that Hathurusingha's game plan, tailored to his knowledge of Bangladesh, would be used against his former charges in his first assignment as the Sri Lanka coach since resigning as Bangladesh head coach in October last year.

But it seemed like the Tigers were one step ahead throughout the match; be it while counterattacking the opposition or dealing with the bouncer strategy used by the Sri Lankan bowlers when the hosts batted after winning the toss.

Riding on three fifties from the most senior members of the side in Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, the Bangladesh innings never really eased up on its attack on the Sri Lankan bowlers to post 320 for seven in 50 overs, their second-highest against Sri Lanka.

Tamim and Anamul Haque added 71 runs for the opening stand, but the latter survived three chances --  two catches and a stumping -- before finally being dismissed on 35 off 37 balls when he was caught behind attempting to pull a Thisara Perera bouncer.

A compact Tamim did not lose his concentration, despite copping a couple of blows to his helmet from short deliveries, and started to pace his innings after a watchful start. He reached his second consecutive fifty, during which he struck two consecutive straight sixes off Asela Gunaratne in the 24th over.

After Anamul's dismissal in the 15th over, he paired up with Shakib and both batsman kept the attacking mode on, adding 99 runs for the second wicket before Tamim was caught behind off Akila Dananjaya on a review after the umpire initially turned down the appeal. The left-hander scored 84 off 102 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

Shakib, dealing deftly with short deliveries and never holding back from scoring opportunities, also reached his fifty and added 57 runs with Mushfiqur for the third wicket before giving a return catch to Asela Gunaratne and departing for a 63-ball 67 which featured seven fours.

Mushfiqur continued, and added the fourth half-century stand of the innings with Mahmudullah Riyad, who scored a quick 24 before holing out in the 46th over. Having scored 62 off 51 balls with four fours and a six, Mushfiqur was bowled by Thisara Perera in an attempt to raise the run rate in the next over. Perera managed to pull the run rate back slightly with well-directed yorkers, before a cameo from Sabbir Rahman, who struck a 12-ball 24 including 19 runs in the last over, helped take the Tigers to a sizeable total.

In defence, Bangladesh came out with a collective approach as off-spinner Nasir Hossain opened the bowling and, after a maiden from skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, removed Sri Lanka's highest scorer of the previous game Kusal Perera as the left-hander came down the track only to miss the line of the ball, which went on to hit the timber in the first ball of the third over.

Mashrafe opened the innings from the other end and bowled brilliantly, concentrating on a tight channel which unsettled Upul Tharanga as he went for a big shot in the 10th over but only found Mahmudullah at mid-off after scoring 25.

Kusal Mendis, who never looked comfortable dealing with the bouncers after one from Rubel Hossain struck his helmet, was the second victim of Mashrafe when he was caught at mid-off after scoring 19 as Sri Lanka were struggling on 62 for three inside 14 overs.

The batting side were never able to recover from the early damage and the rest was up to the player-of-the-match, Shakib, who first ran out skipper Dinesh Chandimal (28) with a direct hit and then picked up three wickets for 47 runs from eight overs. At one point the left-arm spinner was sitting on a hattrick, having dismissed Asela Gunaratne and Wanindu Hasaranga in consecutive deliveries in the 26th over.

Pacers Mustafizur Rahman and Rubel Hossain also played their parts, picking up one and two wickets respectively. Thisara Perera's 14-ball 29, with 20 of those coming off a Shakib over that ended in him holing out to long off, was the highest score in Sri Lanka's dismal 157 all out.