Sri Lanka suffer first ever series defeat to Bangladesh

Mushfiqur Rahim posted a brilliant 125 to help Bangladesh win their first series against Sri Lanka in the second ODI yesterday in Dhaka.

Sri Lanka’s woes in limited overs cricket is going from bad to worse as the team suffered a heavy 103 run defeat to Bangladesh yesterday in Dhaka to concede the three match series with a game to spare. Set a target of 247, Sri Lanka were reduced to 141 for nine in 40 overs to go down by a heavy margin.

The victory helped Bangladesh to move top of the ICC World Cup Super League Qualifiers above England. While Bangladesh look set to qualify automatically for the sport’s showpiece event in 2023, Sri Lanka are languishing at 12 with the wheels coming off faster than they could have imagined.

Prior to the series the selectors had backed young players and had axed several seniors. They will be now under pressure to bring the seniors back but looking at long term, they need to back the young players hoping the current mechanism they have where a high premium has been placed on fitness and discipline will pay dividends.

Dushmantha Chameera gave Sri Lanka a dream start when he had two wickets in the second over of the innings. The lanky quick got the ball to swing in and trapped Tamim Iqbal leg before wicket and in the same over dismissed Shakib Al Hasan with an even better delivery. The batsman did not even bother challenge the decision.

But Mushfiqur Rahim played a gem of an innings posting a superb hundred, his ninth in ODIs and third against Sri Lanka. In the process, he completed 1000 runs against Sri Lanka. Mushfiqur was Man of the Match in the opening game as well after posting a fine 84 off 87 balls.

In reply, Sri Lanka did not get any momentum during their innings despite several batsmen getting starts. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan, who had claimed four wickets in the first ODI, was on the money again finishing his ten overs with figures of three for 28. Mustafizur Rahman also finished with three wickets.

Danushka Gunathilaka’s 24 was the top score of the Sri Lankan innings as the tourists went down without a fight.

There were several rain interruptions in the game. Sri Lanka were 126 for nine in 38 overs when rain stopped play for one last time and they were set a revised target of 244 in 40 overs They ended up posting 141 for nine in 40 overs to go down by 103 runs.

Sri Lanka need to now try and win the final game and avoid the humiliation of a 3-0 whitewash.