Asalanka ton powers Sri Lanka to 279

Charith Asalanka's second ODI hundred saw off regular strikes from Bangladesh to take Sri Lanka to 279 in the World Cup match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday (November 6). In an eventful innings played in the midst of severe pollution in Delhi, Angelo Mathews became the first player to be 'timed out' in international cricket.

Bangladesh hit the right notes from the get go when wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim completed a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss the returning Kusal Perera in the first over. Shoriful Islam's next over though wasn't so successful though, with Pathum Nissanka hitting three boundaries and setting the base for his steady 61-run stand with Kusal Mendis.

Both batters however fell in quick succession. Mendis, who struggled for timing and took 14 balls to get off the mark, hit a six, his first in his last six innings after a whirlwind start to the tournament, before holing out to long-on. It took Shakib Al Hasan all of three balls on the day to pick his first wicket. Pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib then followed up in the next over and had Nissanka bowled for 41 off 36 balls, giving Bangladesh some control back.

That led Sri Lanka to another period of recovery through a 63-run stand for the fourth wicket between Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka. Samarawickrama scored at run a ball, hitting four boundaries, before falling prey to Shakib's flight again and holing out to deep midwicket. But what happened thereafter divided opinions.

In the 25th over, Mathews was readying to take strike when his helmet strap broke. He gestured to the dugout for a new helmet but didn't consult with Shakib Al Hasan, the opposition captain, who went on to successfully appeal for "timed out" to onfield umpires.

In the meantime, Asalanka got to his fifty off 56 balls, keeping the scoreboard ticking amidst fall of wickets at the other end. His 78-run partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva helped Sri Lanka get their bearing back even as Mathews led intense discussions in the dugout about his dismissal.

De Silva, scored 34 off 36 but failed to get to the pitch of a delivery after stepping out and was stumped off Mehidy Hasan's bowling. Asalanka thereafter continued to pick the odd boundary and got to his hundred off 101 balls in the 48th over. It was the ninth hundred scored at the venue, the most in this World Cup.

Maheesh Theekshana added 22 important runs but once Asalanka was caught in the deep off Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Sri Lanka went on to lose their last three wickets for 1 run and were bowled out with three balls remaining in the innings.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 279 in 49.3 overs (Asalanka 108, Nissanka 41; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 3-80) vs Bangladesh

Source: Cricbuzz