Bangladesh restrict Sri Lanka to 257 in 'must win' game

Bangladesh bowlers recovered from a poor start to restrict Sri Lanka to 257-9 in their 'must win' Asia Cup Super Four game at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday.

Fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed claimed three wickets apiece while left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam grabbed two.

Sadeera Samawickrama was instrumental in taking the side past 250-run mark, hammering his career-best 72 ball-93 not out, an innings laced with eight fours and two sixes. Kusal Medis struck 50 and opener Pathum Nissanka scored a stubborn 40.

Nissanka got the side off to a lucky start against Taskin with an inside edged boundary and survive a leg-before appeal, thanks to video review but struck another four in the immediate next delivery as Bangladesh bowlers found them in wanting.

Shoriful Islam, so far the best bowler of Bangladesh in this tournament, was erratic in his short first spell.

Bangladesh got the breakthrough through Hasan Mahmud who had Dimuth Karunaratne caught by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim with a back of length delivery that swung away, much to the despair of the batter.

Nissanka and Kusal Mendis kept the side rolling with the latter looking in utter ease to play his shots.

But Shoriful stepped up, with double strike that helped Bangladesh hit back to the game.

He had Nissanka leg-fore for 40 and then got the prized scalped of Mendis, shortly after he reached his 24th half-century.

Samawickrama then took the onus amid the wickets tumbling around his as Bangladesh spinners-Nasum Ahmed, the only change of the side and skipper Shakib Al Hasan strangled them in the middle overs.

Both of them went wicket-less but gave the control which the side needed at that moment.

Spinners' control in fact came as handy for the pacers who went all out attack.

Taskin got the better of Charith Asalanka and Hasan struck twice to get the key wickets of Dhananjaya de Silva (6) and Dasun Shanaka (24) as Sri Lanka lost the momentum to edge closer to 300-run mark.

But Samawickrama was unscathed as he played his shots at will, giving the side a total to fight for. He was out in the last ball, trying to clear the boundary.

Source: BSS