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SRI LANKA TOUR OF BANGLADESH, 2024
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim made 165 unbroken runs © AFP
After losing the T20I series, Bangladesh made a good start in the ODI series winning the opening match in Chattogram by a comfortable margin.
Their entire spectacle was first created by the bowlers who restricted Sri Lanka to just 255 before captain Najmul Hossain’s unbeaten hundred took them home with 32 balls to spare.
With the arrival of dew, the chase was relatively easier but Bangladesh made good use of it with Shanto partnering Mushfiqur Rahim in an unbeaten 165-run stand in the chase for the fifth wicket. The association was even more significant because Bangladesh had been reduced to 23/3 at one point before reconstruction occurred.
Shanto played his part in a vital 59-run stand with Mahmudullah, who hit a run-a-ball 37, to steady the ship before joining Rahim and the Sri Lankan bowlers found the going tough as the dew it settled.
However, before that situation, Bangladesh had their pacers to thank. After they were asked to bowl, the initial momentum was against them. Sri Lanka’s openers started well with a 71-run stand before Tanzim Hasan Sakib struck twice in quick succession to get rid of both.
With the well-established pair dismissed, the visitors stuttered briefly before a 69-run stand between Kusal Mendis and Janith Liyanage rescued them. Both batsmen were unable to continue after reaching fifties, allowing Bangladesh to recover late in the game. Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed struck at regular intervals to clear the lower order as Sri Lanka lost their last five by just 34 runs.
In the end, the goal proved easier once conditions became more favorable during the chase.
Short scores: Sri Lanka 255 all out (Janith Liyanage 67, Kusal Mendis 59; Tanzim Hasan 3-44) lost to Bangladesh 257/4 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 122, Mushfiqur Rahim 73) by 6 wickets.
© Cricbuzz