Sri Lankan batters made full use of some poor bowling and fielding by Bangladesh and gunned down 172 runs with 7 balls to go. The game went against the theme of low-scoring matches on the Day 1 of Super 12s and the Sharjah pitch showed that a lot of runs can be made here.
Mushfiqur Rahim’s blistering effort guides Bangladesh
Bangladesh had a decent start but Liton Das once again fell after failing to capitalize on a start, making 16 runs, meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan also fell soon after, at the score of 56. Then Mushfiqur Rahim started with a couple of sixes and formed a 73 runs partnership with Mohammad Naim. Naim got out after making 62 runs off 52 balls. Meanwhile, Rahim and Mahmudullah closed out the innings as Mushfiqur made 57 runs off 37 balls.
A captaincy failure?
Sri Lanka lost Kusal Perara in the first over itself. However, Charith Asalanka looked in a dominating mood. He straight away deposited Nasum Ahmed’s deliveries to the boundary. Shakib dented the progress by taking two wickets, notching first Nissanka who made 24 runs, and then Avishka for a duck. In the next over, Wanindu Hasaranga departed too, with Sri Lanka needing 93 runs in 62 balls.
However, then shockingly Mahmudullah took an in-rhythm Shakib out of the attack. A move that cost Bangladesh immediately as the pair of Asalanka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa carted Saifuddin, Mustafizur, and Mahmudullah to multiple boundaries. The team got home comfortably as Shakib received the ball in the 17th over when Sri Lanka needed just 24 runs off 24 balls. Asalanka played an incredible inning of 80 runs in only 49 balls while Rajapaksa made 53 in just 31 balls. Bangladesh’s Liton Das dropped both of the batters in the innings which cost the team dearly.