Sports
Asia Cup Bangladesh start Asia Cup with 5-wicket defeat to SL
Dhaka, Sept 1: Not many runs on the board. Only 164. Still, the fans were waiting for the miracle by the Tiger bowlers. Shakib-Taskin also tried. But how much more can be fought with such a small total. In the end no miracle happened. Bangladesh had to start the Asia Cup with a loss. Host Sri Lanka defeated Shakib Al Hasan's team by 5 wickets with 66 balls (11 overs) left in the 'B' group match at Pallekele.
The target for Lankans was a total of 165 runs. Taskin bowled Dimuth Karunaratne (1) in a brilliant delivery in the first ball of the third over of the innings. In next over, Shariful took the wicket of Pathum Nishanka (14). The hosts were under pressure after losing 2 wickets for 15 runs.
Kushal Mendis was batting in a Test match mood. Shakib Al Hasan broke his resistance. Mendis (5 off 21 balls) was bowled by a great delivery from the Tiger captain. The Lankans lost the third wicket for 43 runs. Until then hope was alive in Bangladesh.
But then Sadira Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka played 119 balls for the fourth wicket and made a partnership of 78 runs, Bangladesh were practically knocked out of the match.
Tigers tried to give death bite at the end. After the fifty, Sheikh Mehdi was stumped while playing forward (54 in 6 boundaries from 77 balls). Shakib bowled Dhananjaya de Silva (2) in the next over.
But Asalanka left the field after winning the team by scoring fifty. He remained unbeaten on 62 runs off 92 balls with 5 boundaries. Captain Dasun Shanaka left the field as a winner with 14 runs.
Shakib took 2 wickets for 29 runs. One wicket each for Sheikh Mehdi, Taskin Ahmed and Shariful Islam.
In the Bangladeshi innings, Nazmul Hossain Shanto fought alone. He scored 89 off 122 balls. Bangladesh were all out for 164 runs in 42.4 overs.
