Published: Feb 12, 2014, 06:17 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 12, 2014, 06:28 PM (IST)
Feb 12, 2014
Kusal Perera’s blistering half-century propelled Sri Lanka to 168 for seven in 20 overs in the first Twenty20 International (T20I) against Bangladesh in Chittagong.
The World No 1 T20I side Sri Lanka got off to a terrible start against Bangladesh, losing Tillakaratne Dilshan for a duck after skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza bowled him in the first over.
Kusal Perera, brushed aside the early wicket of his senior compatriot was in full cry, hammering the bowling attack to all parts with the help of captain Dinesh Chandimal.
With the scoring rate at 10 per over in the seventh over, Bangladesh applied the brakes in scoring, with Shakib Al Hasan removing Chandimal for 18. Kumar Sangakkara also didn’t last long, again holing out to Nasir Hossain off Shakib’s bowling and Bangladesh debutant Arafat Sunny scalped his maiden wicket, removing Seekkuge Prasanna.
Perera was unperturbed by the fall of wickets at regular intervals and soon notched up his half-century with a flurry of boundaries before Sunny got his second wicket; Perera made 64 and Angelo Mathews fell short of the crease for 11.
Just when Bangladesh thought they had restricted the Sri Lankans, all-rounder Nuwan Kulasekera played a fine cameo of 31 to ensure that Sri Lanka reached an above-par score of 168.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 168 for 7 (Kusal Perera 64, Thisara Perera 19*, Nuwan Kulasekera 31; Arafat Sunny 2 for 17, Shakib Al Hasan 2 for 27) vs Bangladesh.
