Half-centuries from Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kusal Mendis took Sri Lanka to 257/9 in their Asia Cup Super Fours match against Bangladesh here on Saturday.
While Samarawickrama played a brilliant knock of 93 off 72 balls (8x4s, 2x6s), Mendis made a 73-ball 50 after Sri Lanka were invited to bat by Bangladesh.
Opener Pathum Nissanka contributed a 60-ball 40.
For Bangladesh, pacers Hasan Mahmud (3/57), Shoriful Islam (2/48) and Taskin Ahmed (3/62) shared eight wickets among themselves.
Sri Lanka had slipped to 164/5 at one stage but Samarawickrama helped them post in excess of 250.
Sri Lanka got off to a steady start with both Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka playing confidently. But their partnership ended on 34 as Hasan Mahmud pulled back the length a bit and had the batter nicking to the wicketkeeper.
Kusal Mendis and Nissanka continued in a positive manner, taking on the pacers, as Shakib-al Hasan was forced to bring in the spinners early in the innings. That helped to keep a leash on the run scoring. Nissanka survived in the 19th over when Mushfiqur Rahim put down a catch off Mahmud’s bowling.
Bangladesh’s catching, however, was poor. Towhid Hridoy misjudged a catch at backward square leg after Mendis pulled a Shoriful delivery.
Nissanka eventually had to depart, trapped in front by Shoriful for 40 by one that nipped back with the review failing to come to the batter’s aid. Mendis then got to fifty by pulling a Shoriful delivery for four.
But the pacer hit back with the key wicket Sri Lanka’s No.3, who tried to play the ramp shot but ended up handing a catch to thirdman. Sri Lanka lost their fourth as Taskin Ahmed bowled a slower ball to have Charith Asalanka caught at mid-on.
Written with PTI inputs
