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29 March 2024

Sri Lanka thrash Bangladesh by 92 runs

Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka bats during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 26, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Getty Images)

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Sri Lanka veterans Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara smashed imperious centuries to punish a wasteful Bangladesh and set up an emphatic 92-run win in their World Cup clash in Melbourne on Thursday.

Dilshan blasted 161 and Sangakkara 105 as the evergreen pair combined for an unbeaten 210-run stand to fire Sri Lanka to an imposing 332-1 in front of a boisterous crowd of 30,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Appalling in the field, Bangladesh's middle and lower order grafted hard but were set a mission impossible after a top order collapse that saw them slump to 100-5 after 20 overs.

Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga captured the final two wickets in consecutive balls as Bangladesh were dismissed for 240 with three overs to spare.

Though master batsman Sangakkara was dropped twice in his aggressive 76-ball knock, 38-year-old Dilshan was virtually flawless as he enjoyed a welcome return to form after scoring 24 and a duck in the team's opening matches against New Zealand and Afghanistan respectively.

He belted 22 fours to all corners of the ground to notch his highest score in ODIs and muttered thanks to the heavens after completing his 21st ton in the format off a streaky inside edge.

He later returned to take 2-35 with his part-time offspin, dismissing all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for 46 and having Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza stumped by wicketkeeper Sangakkara for seven to walk away with the man-of-the-match award.

Conditions had begged for a big total on the MCG's benign drop-in wicket and Bangladesh made Sri Lanka's task easier from the start.

Opening batsman Lahiru Thirimanne was dropped at slip by Anamul Haque on the fourth ball - an easy, waist-high chance off paceman Mortaza.

That set the tone for a dreary afternoon of grassed catches, missed run-out opportunities and leaked runs from sloppy fielding that made Bangladesh's place at the global showpiece seem an embarrassing anomaly.

Thirimanne would be reprieved three times before finally dismissed on 52 when attempting an ill-conceived ramp shot off paceman Rubel Hossain that flew straight to Taskin Ahmed at third man.

He had earlier been the beneficiary of a missed stumping and another lost chance when wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim failed to move for a nick that flew between the stumper and slip early on.

Completing a forgettable afternoon, Mushfiqur later failed to back up a throw at the stumps that would have almost certainly captured Dilshan's wicket.

Playing his 400th ODI, Sangakkara could have been out for 23 had paceman Taskin clutched a difficult caught-and-bowled chance.

He was dropped again on 60 when cutting straight to point where Mominul Haque put down a sitter at chest height.

The fielder's petulant response, throwing the ball at the bowler's end in frustration, caused three runs from an over-throw.

Though Dilshan hogged the strike for much of the closing overs, Sangakkara completed his 22nd ODI century with a single to long-off in the final.  

Bangladesh innings

Centuries by skipper Kumar Sangakkara, playing in his 400th ODI, and Tillakaratne Dilshan guded Sri Lanka to a 92-run win against Bangladesh in their Pool A match of the 2015 Cricket World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Thursday.

Batting first, Sangakkara and Dilshan added 210 runs for the second wicket after Dilshan and Lahiru Thirimanne gave Sri Lanka a solid start with a 122-run opening wicket partnership.

Thirimanne was lucky on a couple of occasions on his way to 52.

Sangakkara too was lucky but ended up unbeaten on 105 while Dilshan scored the bulk of the runs with 161 as he too returned to the pavilion unbeaten.

Bangladesh's batting was similar to their fielding -- sloppy and erratic. Only Shakib Al Hassan and Shabbir Rahman took on the challenge. Malinga led from the front with three wickets, while Lakmal and Dilshan chipped in with two wickets each.

Taskin Ahmed lbw b Malinga 0 (1m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Sabbir Rahman c Sangakkara b Malinga 53 (62b 7x4 0x6) SR: 85.48

Mashrafe Mortaza st Sangakkara b Dilshan 7 (7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Mushfiqur Rahim b Lakmal 36 (39b 2x4 1x6) SR: 92.30

Shakib Al Hasan c Malinga b Dilshan 46 (59b 4x4 1x6) SR: 77.9

SIX! Mishfiqur pulls Mathews and at one stage it looked like Malinga got his hand to it but the ball pops out and goes for a maximum.

Bangladesh's two most experienced batsmen Shakib and Mushfiqur have started to play more attackingly scoring 30 runs in last 5 overs and also their 50-run partnership. Bangladesh 145-5, 30 overs.

SIX AND TWO FOURS! Shakib lofts Herath. Chandimal goes for a catch on the boundary gets his fingertips to it but the ball goes over the ropes. Shakib pulls Herath twice after that to the ropes. 16 runs from the over. Bangladesh 134-5, 29 overs.

Bangladesh are 115-5 after 25 overs while SL were 122-1 at the same stage.

It looks like an uphill task for Bangladesh as Mahmudullah skies one to Herath. Bangladesh 101-5, 21 overs.

Mahmudullah c Herath b Perera 28 (46b 3x4 0x6) SR: 60.86

Runs are hard to come by as Shakib and Mahmudullah manage only 11 runs in last 5 overs. Bangladesh 95-4, 20 overs.

DRINKS

A run-out was on the cards as the two batsmen survived some earlier close calls. It was Anamul who had to depart in hs 100th ODI for Bangladesh.

Anamul Haque run out 29 (43b 1x4 1x6) SR: 67.44 

JUST SHORT! Haque is living a charmed life. He tries to pull Lakmal but the ball falls a little short of Herath who came running in from the boundary.

DROPPED! Mathews drops Anamul Haque. It was a good effort from the Sri Lankan skipper runnng back.

Mominul Haque c Jayawardene b Lakmal 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

Soumya Sarkar c Sangakkara b Mathews 25 (15b 5x4 0x6) SR: 166.66 

THREE FOURS! Soumya Sarkar gives Suranga Lakmal the rough treatment hitting him for three boundaries.

DROPPED! Anamul Haque is dropped by Dilshan. Haque should make the most of this lapse as he was involved in a couple of dropped catches in the slips during the Lankan innings.

Malinga gets through the gate between Tamim Iqbal's bat and pad and the stump is sent cart-wheeling. Bangladesh 0-1 in 0.2 balls.

Tamim Iqbal b Malinga 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00 

Sri Lanka innings

Kumar Sangakkara hit 105 not out in his 400th one-dayer and Tillakaratne Dilshan made an unbeaten 161 as Sri Lanka punished Bangladesh's butter-fingered display to pile up 332 for one in the World Cup on Thursday.

Sri Lanka, who were dismissed for 233 by New Zealand and then struggled to chase down Afghanistan's 232, finally came good with the bat after electing to take first strike.

The islanders were helped along by a shoddy fielding display by Bangladesh, whose maiden appearance at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground was marred by five missed chances.

Dilshan put on 122 for the first wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne (52) and an undefeated 210 for the second with Sangakkara, who hit 13 boundaries and a six in his 22nd one-day century.

Dilshan's 17th one-day ton contained 22 fours as he anchored the innings to carry his bat in front of some 25,000 jubilant Sri Lankan fans.

Left-handed Thirimanne survived three missed chances in his half-century which followed his 65 in the tournament opener against New Zealand.

Anamul Haque spilled a waist-high catch in the first over off Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who then had an edge go past the wicketkeeper and first slip when Thirimanne was on 22.

The batsman moved to 44 when Mushfiqur Rahim missed a stumping off Sabbir Rahman, but Thirimanne's luck ran out as an airy cut off seamer Rubel Hossain was snapped up by third man.

Sangakkara had made only 23 when he lobbed a short ball from Taskin Ahmed, but the ball spilled out of the bowler's hand as he dived forward to hold the catch.

Sangakkara completed his 94th one-day 50 by sweeping Shakib Al Hasan for his eighth boundary, but escaped a second time soon after when Mominul Haque dropped a catch at point off Rubel.

The 37-year-old reached his century in the final over to complete a total domination by the Sri Lankan batsmen of the Bangladeshi attack.

Taskin was the most expensive bowler, conceding 82 runs in 10 wicketless overs.

Sangakkara became only the fourth cricketer - the third Sri Lankan after Sanath Jayasuriya (445) and current team-mate Mahela Jayawardene (444) - to play 400 one-day internationals.

The list is headed by retired Indian star Sachin Tendulkar with 463 ODIs.

Sri Lanka brought in batsman Dinesh Chandimal in place of all-rounder Jeevan Mendis, who was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury.

Bangladesh retained the same side that defeated Afghanistan in their first game. Their match against co-hosts Australia was washed out.

Centuries by skipper Kumar Sangakkara, playing in his 400th ODI, and Tillakaratne Dilshan propelled Sri Lanka to 332 for 1 against Bangladesh in their Pool A match of the 2015 Cricket World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Thursday.

Sangakkara and Dilshan added 210 runs for the second wicket after Dilshan and Lahiru Thirimanne gave Sri Lanka a solid start with a 122-run opening wicket partnership.

Thirimanne was lucky on a couple of occasions on his way to 52.

Sangakkara too was lucky but ended up unbeaten on 105 while Dilshan scored the bulk with 161.

Bangadesh's fielding left a lot to be desired with dropped catches and overthrows.

MILESTONE! Sanga hits another ton and it's in his 400th ODI. Sanga and Dilshan have also put on 200 runs for the second wicket.

Dilshan reaches 150.

IT'S RAINING BOUNDARIES! Dilshan has played the reverse sweep to good effect takes three fours from Shakib.

RUNS FLOW! Mortaza faces the brunt from the blades of Sanga and Dilshan going for three boundaries. SL 296-1, 47 overs.

GREAT GOING! Sanga and Dilshan add 57 runs in five overs. SL 282-1, 46 overs.

FOURS! Sanga seems to be racing to his century spanking Mahmudullah for two boundaries. SL 258-1, 44 overs.

ESCAPE! Dilshan survives a run-out as he is caught in no-man's land. The fielder takes a direct throw but misses and the keeper too is nowhere near the stumps. Poor show by Bangladesh.

SIX! Sanga is making Bangladesh pay for their slipshod fielding and dropped catches lofting Rubel over his head. SL 239-1, 42 overs.

DROPPED! Sanga is dropped by Mominul Haque at point. He then throws at the non striker's end and there is no back-up. More runs conceded and more frustration for Bangladesh.

TON UP! Dilshan gets to his century although not the way he would have wanted to with an inside edge which beats the keeper. It's also the 100-run partnership between him and Sanga. SL 224-1, 41 overs.

FOUR! Sanga brings up his 50 pulling Shakib to backward square leg. SL 210-1, 39 overs.

FOUR! Sanga pulls Mortaza over the bowler's and umpire's head to the ropes. SL 196-1, 37 overs.

FOUR! Sanga looks in good touch stepping down the wicket and going across to hit Shakib through mid-wicket.

Dilshan and Sanga add 32 runs in last five overs.  SL 179-1, 35 overs.

FOUR! Looking at Sanga thrash this one from Shakib for four it will make Bangladesh rue the dropped catch.

DROPPED! Sanga is lucky here as Taskin drops him on his follow through. SL 168-1, 33 overs.

FOUR! Class at its best and that comes from Sangakkara going down on one knee to thump Taskin through mid-off for four.

DRINKS

That's the second drinks break.

FOUR! Dilshan goes on the back foot and drives Mahmudullah for a sweetly-timed four. SL 162-1, 32 overs.

Sanga and Dilshan have put on 25 runs in the last five overs. SL 147-1, 30 overs.

FOUR! Sanga shows his master touch with soft hands gliding Rubel's short ball over the keeper and slips for four. SL 137-1, 28 overs.

Out comes Sangakkara in his 400th ODI to a thunderous applause.

Sr Lanka's last five overs were quite productive with 32 runs coming for the loss of a wicket.

Thirimanne's luck finally runs out as he tries to glance a short-pitched delivery from Rubel to third man but Taskin takes a superb diving catch. SL 122-1, 24.3 overs. 

Lahiru Thirimanne c Taskin Ahmed b Rubel Hossain 52 (78b 3x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

Thirimanne makes the most of the dropped catches and stumpings he survived to bring up his 50. 

CHANCE! Thirimanne steps down the wicket and is beaten by Shabbir Rahman's off spin but keeper Mushfiqur spills the ball. SL 114-0, 23 overs

FLURRY of FOURS! Dilshan finally breaks the shackles and rips into Taskin hitting him for three fours to bring up his 50. SL 103-0, 21 overs.

Bangaldesh bowlers Taskin and Mahmudullah have kept Dilshan and Thirimanne quiet. SL manage just 19 runs from last five overs to reach 90-0 in 20 overs.

DRINKS

SL 76-0, 16 overs and it's time for the drinks interval.

Shakib Al Hasan does well to keep Dilshan quiet as Lanka manage only 20 runs in 5 overs. SL 70-0, 15 overs.

Looks like luck is in Thirimanne's favour. Another edge from the left-hander's bat off Shakib's bowling goes a little wide off first slip. SL 51-0, 10 overs.

LUCKY ESCAPE! Mortaza gets another edge off Thirimanne and this time the ball flies between wicketkeeper and first slip. SL 46-0, 9 overs.

FOURS! Dilshan spanks Taskin Ahmed through covers and mid-off and then pulls him over square leg. SL 40-0, 8 overs.

Bangladesh bowlers Mortaza and Rubel have given little room for the Lankan openers to free their arms. SL 17-0, 5 overs.

Thirimanne is living dangerously, edging another Mortaza outswinger into the slip cordon but this time it falls short. SL 11-0, 3 overs.

DROPPED! Thirimanne survives after he edges Mortaza to first slip where Anamul drops a sitter. SL 1-0, 1 over

Bangladesh are playing their first match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) while Sri Lanka have won six of their 17 ODIs at this venue. Time for the national anthem of both the countries.

Earlier, Angelo Mathews won the toss and elected to bat first. Just one change made to the squad, Dinesh Chandimal comes in for Jeevan Mendis.

Kumar Sangakkara becomes only the fourth player to play 400 ODIs. Only Tendulkar, Jayasuriya and Jayawardene have played more.

Mashrafe Moartaza said he would have batted first too. However, Bangladesh are unchanged from their win against Afghanistan.

Teams

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, Shabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed.

Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal.

Out-of-form Sri Lanka must play every pool game at the World Cup as if it were a knockout match to ignite their stuttering campaign, captain Angelo Mathews said on Wednesday.

Runners-up at the last two tournaments, the Sri Lankans were thrashed in their opening match against New Zealand and then had to rely on a match-saving ton from retiring stalwart Mahela Jayawardene to survive a huge scare against minnows Afghanistan.

Adding to their troubles, Sri Lanka head into Thursday's match against Bangladesh without all-rounder Jeevan Mendis, who will play no further role in the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury.

With most of his team mates misfiring and home media predicting an early exit, Mathews was feeling the pressure ahead of the danger game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"It's certainly going to be a tough game," the all-rounder told reporters on Wednesday.

"Bangladesh have performed really well in the recent past.

"It's a World Cup game. It's going to be a pressure game for all of us. So, as I keep saying, we can't take any team lightly.

"We've got to set our standards and set our goals high and play every single game as a final or semi-final."

Ducks


Three of Sri Lanka's top order batsmen have scored ducks in the first two matches, putting pressure on a bowling attack which has also been let down by some sloppy fielding.

Undermanned, Sri Lanka will have to lean heavily on flamboyant fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who took three wickets in an encouraging display against Afghanistan after being torched by New Zealand's batsmen on his comeback game from ankle surgery.

Mathews said there was no chance of big strategic changes to revive Sri Lanka and his players would have to make it happen on the pitch.

"When you're in the World Cup, you can't go into too much technical side," he said. "But I think you've just got to give them confidence.

"Like Lasith is back after injuries and bowling after a few months. I'm sure he's working extremely hard at the net to get everything right.

"So at the back end of the series when it comes to the quarter-finals, that is the time you've got to be at your peak.

"But if we click as a group, I think we can do wonders. It's just we need to click as a group and try to win games."  

Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions and finalists in the last two editions, have won 32 of 37 one-day internationals against Bangladesh, and their record in the World Cup is even better.

Bangladesh were hammered by 10 wickets in 2003 and by 198 runs four years later in the teams' only two previous World Cup meetings, leaving Sri Lanka overwhelming favourites to extend the streak.

But Mathews' men have had an uninspiring start to the 2015 event, with their batsmen struggling to cope with conditions in New Zealand.

Sri Lanka were thrashed by the co-hosts in the tournament opener in Christchurch, going down by 98 runs after New Zealand had piled up 331 for six.

Then a scare awaited them against Afghanistan in Dunedin, as the minnows fought tooth and nail before the Test side scraped through on the back of a century by the ever-reliable Mahela Jayawardene.

Having left New Zealand with two points from as many games, Sri Lanka will hope the change in scenery and conditions in Australia will galvanise their campaign.

"The game against Afghanistan was a close one, we need to improve our standards," Mathews warned. "What we need to learn is to dominate from ball one and stay in the game till the end.

"We have not played our best cricket yet. If we play the way we can, we can beat any team in the world. We have got to step up and set our goals high. Play every game as a final or a semi-final.

"The batters have to score runs and the bowlers have to take wickets."

Still to fire


Star batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan are still to fire, but Sri Lanka's main concern will be the indisciplined bowling which saw 16 wides and a no-ball conceded against Afghanistan.

Pace spearhead Lasith Malinga has given away 125 runs in two matches at this tournament so far, but Mathews was not worried that his main strike bowler was a long way away from hitting top form after ankle surgery last year.

"Lasith is working extremely hard at the nets," he said. "One has to be at the peak when the quarter-finals come and he and the others are working towards that."

Mathews confirmed that all-rounder Jeevan Mendis was out of the tournament with a hamstring injury and the team management had called up opener Upul Tharanga as a replacement.

"Unfortunately, Jeevan is out for two to three weeks," the captain said. "Upul is expected to arrive tonight but we have yet to decide if we will play him or not against Bangladesh."

Bangladesh have three points from two matches, following a comfortable win over Afghanistan and a washed-out game against Australia.

Bangladesh go into Thursday's World Cup clash against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground confident of doing well despite an uninspiring record against the former champions.

Bangladesh have lost 32 of their 37 one-day internationals against Sri Lanka and suffered heavy defeats - by 10 wickets in 2003 and by 198 runs four years later - in their only two previous World Cup meetings.

Past records


But skipper Mashrafe Mortaza said past records will count for little when they take the field on Thursday, insisting his team was capable of causing an upset.

"If we lost to Sri Lanka in the past it meant we did not play those games well, it's as simple as that," Mortaza said. "If we do well there is no reason why we can't beat them."

The fast bowler pointed to Bangladesh's 105-run win over Afghanistan in Canberra last week to stress that history does not dictate the course of a match.

"We lost to Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year and many people thought they will win again, but look what happened," Mortaza said. "We won easily and the same can happen again.

"We have defeated Sri Lanka in recent times and can do so again if we play to our potential."

"We are familiar with their players, who have a lot of experience. But then it takes just one ball to get a batsman out. The important thing is to stick to our plans."

Squads and officials:

Bangladesh
(from): Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Mohammad Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Taijul Islam, Arafat Sunny, Shafiul Islam

Sri Lanka
(from): Angelo Mathews (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wkt), Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake, Dushmantha Chameera

Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Paul Reiffel (AUS)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

Weather forecast: Mostly sunny. Maximum temperature 25 Celsius.