Hasaranga, Mendis guide Sri Lanka to 1-0 lead

Text by: M. Shamil Amit / Pix by: Kushan Pathiraja

The first session of play belonged to Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka who cracked a century for his side to make a modest 244 and in the second sesion spin duo Wanindu Hasaranga and Kamindu Mendis combined to wreck Bangladesh in pursuit of 245 runs to bundle them out for 167 runs to guide Sri Lanka record a comfortable 77 runs win in the first of the three ODI’s played at the R. Premadasa Stadium today for the host side to take a 1-0 lead.

Bangladesh with top scorer Tanzid Hasan who made a 61 ball 62 and Najmul Hossain Shanto at the wicket was cruising and sitting pretty going at the rate of over six runs an over. But the separation of the pair with the run out of Shanto who together with Hasan shared 71 runs in 69 balls turned the tables as from there on they underwent a major collapse by losing six wickets for the addition of just five runs as from a healthy 100 for 2 they slid to 105 for 8.

It was spin pair Hasaranga and Mendis who together combined to send them reeling which began with Hasaranga taking two wickets in his first over and then Mendis doing the same in his second over. Bangladesh reeling with the score on 125 for 9 though the last pair of Jaker Ali and Mustafizur Rahman putting in some resistance they were able to muster only 42 runs between them as Hasaranga who bagged four scalps ended Bangladesh’s innings with the last wicket that of Jaker Ali who made 51. Earlier in the day skipper Asalanka winning the toss and electing to take first lease of the wicket saw them undergoing an early setback as they lost openers Pathum Nissanka and Nishan Madushka within the first five overs with the score on six.

They fell into deeper trouble as Kamindu Mendis who joined Kusal Mendis not lasting long being was able to face only four balls being dismissed for a duck with right arm pacie Taskin Ahmed who bagged two scalps being the wrecker. Fourth wicket pair Kusal Mendis and skipper Charith Asalanka rescued the side as the pair posted Sri Lanka’s 50 runs on the board and then went on to put on their 50 runs stand. But with the addition of ten more runs saw left arm spinner Tanvir Islam making the breakthrough for Bangladesh with the wicket of Mendis who made 45 in 43 balls that included six boundaries and a six whilst sharing a 60 runs stand for the fourth wicket.

Janith Liyanage who walked into the crease began a recovery act with skipper Asalanka as the pair put up Sri Lanka’s 100 runs on the borad which came off 132 balls which followed with skipper Asalanka succeeding to reach his half ton making it in 61 balls with three boundaries and a three sixes.

At the hallway stage of the innings Sri Lanka was on 119 for 4. The pair posted their 50 runs stand for the fifth wicket before the 150 runs came up on the board and were separated having put on 64 runs for the fifth wicket with Liyanage falling victim to Shanto having made 29 runs.

Skipper Asalanka found another reliable partner in Milan Ratnayake who held on in one end with Asalanka doing the needful of accumulating runs. The duo were making steady progress and frustrating the Bangladesh bowlers and having shared a 39 runs stand saw Ratnayake being dismissed for a patient knock of 22.

Wanindu Hasaranga joining skipper Asalanka helped Sri Lanka to their 200 runs and with the pair adding runs with cautious and having put on 34 runs for the seventh wicket saw pacie Taskin Ahmed dealt a double first with the wicket of Hasaranga and then Maheesh Theekshana as Sri Lanka slid from 226 for 6 to 228 for 8.

Skipper Asalanka at that stage was four runs away from reaching the fifth century of his ODI career which he succeeded to achieve before being dismissed for 106 for Sri Lanka to end their innings on 244 runs.

For Bangladesh right arm pacies Taskin Ahmed and Tanzin Hasan Sakib shared the bowling honors sharing seven wickets between them.