Pathirana stars as Bangladesh bowled out for 164

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

There were doubts about how Sri Lanka’s depleted bowling attack will go about things in the Asia Cup, but the backup bowlers came up with a splendid performance in their opening encounter yesterday at Pallekele to bowl out Bangladesh for 164 runs.

Hometown boy Matheesha Pathirana was sensational finishing with four wicket providing early breakthroughs and then coming back for a last spell to destroy Bangladesh’s tail. They lost their last four wickets for just two runs.

Pathirana claimed the big wicket of Shakib-al-Hasan, who was well caught by Kusal Mendis for five. He then had the dangerman Mushfiqur Rahim for 13 in his second spell. The former captain cut one uppishly, but the pace was too much and was caught at third man boundary.

The tail had no clue when Pathirana came for one last spell with both Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman falling for ducks.Shanaka held back Pathirana without going on the attack all out and perhaps had he used him earlier, Bangladesh would have folded early.

Things would have looked even worse for Bangladesh had Sri Lanka held on to their chances.Matheesha was well backed up by Maheesh Theekshana, who picked up a wicket in his first over and ended with two for 19.

Opposition batters had no clue against Pathirana unable to pick his variations. Even the set Najmul Shanto, who top scored with 89 never looked comfortable against him and was eventually cleaned up triggering a sensational lower order collapse.

Shanto had been dropped on two by skipper Dasun Shanaka off the unlucky Kasun Rajitha, who bowled so well but failed to pick up a wicket. He was also lucky to survive on 64 as the umpire turned down a caught behind appeal off Pathirana. Sri Lanka had exhausted their reviews.

Sri Lanka’s fielding apart from the odd flaw looked sharp and a lot of effort seemed to have gone into this aspect, an area that has been pretty ordinary in the recent past.