Published: Mar 28, 2017, 06:32 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 28, 2017, 07:24 PM (IST)
The second One-Day International (ODI) between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh auspiciously started for the home side, as Kusal Mendis’ maiden ton guided them to 311 all-out. Upul Tharanga, playing in his 200th ODI, opted to bat first and provided his team a steady start at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla. Tharanga’s good work was carried forward by Kusal Mendis. However, Taskin Ahmed ended Sri Lanka’s innings with a hat-trick in the ultimate. He became the fifth Bangladesh cricketer to achieve the feat. LIVE CRICKET SCORECARD: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka 2nd ODI at Dambulla
Danushka Gunathilaka, on the other hand, survived only 2 overs. He mistimed a slog and gave a skier to wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim off Mashrafe Mortaza, who looked in a bit of worry with his right knee after a couple of overs in. Kusal Mendis and Tharanga slowly but steadily kept the scoreboard moving. The pair added 50 runs from 63 balls.
Tharanga then recorded his 31st ODI half-century in 67 balls that gave Sri Lanka a great platform to launch onto their opponents. Tharanga, who was looking good for a century, ran himself out while taking a quick single, for 65.
Mendis, meanwhile, followed suit and achieved his 9th ODI fifty in 63 balls. He then added 50 runs with Dinesh Chandimal.
Mendis bettered his best score and reached the three-figure mark off 101 balls. Soon, Chandimal trying to play the paddle shot, ended up giving his wicket to Mustafizur Rahman for 24. Asela Gunaratne came out in the middle with only one intent: go all guns blazing.
All the same, Mendis soon was dismissed by Taskin. His slog ricocheted off Taskin’s shoulder and lobbed high in the air. Taskin eventually took the catch, dismissing Mendis for 102.
Milinda Siriwardana and Gunaratne batted with less elegance and more brute during their stay in the middle. They added 50 runs off just 44 balls. In a bid to make quick runs, Siriwardana gave his wicket away for a 30-ball 30. He went for the slog sweep against Mehedi Hasan and got his middle stump knocked over. New man Thisara Perera lasted just 6 balls, before he ran himself out eyeing a quick single.
Dilruwan Perera added just 6 runs before he, too, was run out by Rahim — his second today. Gunaratne provided some death-overs cheers to the crowd, hitting a 29-ball 38.
Taskin first picked up Gunaratne, then remove Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep on consecutive balls to achieve his first-ever ODI hat-trick.
Brief score:
Sri Lanka 311 all out (Kusal Mendis 102, Upul Tharanga 65; Taskin Ahmed 4 for 47) vs Bangladesh.
