Listless Tigers suffer 21-run defeat to Sri Lanka

Bangladesh's hopes to play the Asia Cup final was shattered after their 21-run defeat to Sri Lanka in their second match of the Super Four phase at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday, reports BSS. 

The Tigers, as it was adorably called, lacked patience and determination in a game that turned out to be a 'must win' match following their seven-wicket defeat to Pakistan.

Put into bat first, Sri Lanka posted a challenging 257-9 in a two-paced pitch, thanks to a career-best 72 ball-93 of Sadeera Samarawickrama and Bangladesh batters dug their own graveyards by showing another display of wretched batting.

They were eventually dismissed for 236 in 48.1 overs, despite a good start. Youngster Towhid Hridoy battled lonely to hit 82 off 97 with seven fours and one six.

Naim Sheikh and Mehidy Hasan Miraz put on 55-run for the opening stand, remaining unscathed throughout the first powerplay.

But the promising partnership was broken when Miraz (28) played chipped straight to mid-wicket off medium pacer Dasun Shanaka, similar to his dismissal in the first match against Pakistan.

Shanaka then banged one short, which Naim Sheikh (21) pulled miserably to be caught behind the wicket.

As Bangladesh were reduced to 60-2 in 14th over, captain Shakib Al Hasan (3) charged fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana needlessly to throw his wicket in a pitch where patience was key. And Liton Das who scored 15, played an expensive drive against left-arm spinner Dunith Wallelage to leave Bangladesh 83-4.

Hridoy survived some close shouts initially but held his nerve firmly which paid the dividends. Unlike the top order he showed the patience to bring Bangladesh back to the contest.

Mushfiqur Rahim gave him the support as the duo shared 71-run for the fifth wicket before the wicket-keeper batter chipped straight to mid-off as Shanaka found a bit swing.

Shanaka by doing so became the best bowler of the day with 3-28 in nine overs. Pathirana and Matheesha Theekshana also took three apiece but conceded six plus runs per over.

Theekshana caused further damage with his carom ball, which accounted Shamim Patwari and Hridoy before Pathirana cleaned up the tail.

Bangladesh bowlers recovered from a poor start to restrict Sri Lanka in a chase-able total earlier.

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 knock which was 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.