Sri Lanka –Bangladesh ODI Series
2nd Match Played at Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on 28th July 2019
Brief Score Card:
Sri Lanka 242/3 (WIA Fernando 82 , AD Matthews 52* , BKG Mendis 41* ,MDKJ Perera 30, Mustafizur Rahman 2/50 ) beat Bangladesh 238/8 ( Mushfiqur Rahim 98* ,Mehedy Hasan Miraj 43 , Akila Dhananjaya 2/39, Nuwan Pradeep 2/53, I Udana 2/58 ) by 7 Wickets
Player of the Match: Aviska Fernando
All guns blazing Sri Lanka brusied, battered and humiliated awful appearing Bangladesh wrapping up the three matches ODI series winning back to back matches at Premadasa with ease and comfort. They cruised to a 7 wickets win yesterday after winning the farewell match of great Lasith Malinga by 91 runs two days earlier. A Lanka Wash for team tigers is looming. Knowing fully well that a depleted Bangladesh team may face steep challenge they were sent like lambs for slaughter. Completely unbalanced team with openers struggling for form, weak middle order batting, not many wicket taking bowlers.
It did not matter whether Sri Lanka attack had Malinga or not .It also did not matter which team won the toss or batted when. The wicket appeared like mine field to Bangladesh batsmen while it was a feather bed when Sri Lanka batted. A brave fighting innings of 98 not out and a partnership of 84 between Mushfique and Miraj led Bangladesh to a face saving 238/8 . Spirited Sri Lanka overhauled the target with ease and comfort scoring 242/3 in 44.3 overs. Fernando (82), Mathhews (52*) and Perera (41*) powered them to winning by 7 wickets. With (0-2) an ignominious series white wash is looming for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh had genuine problem with the openers in recently concluded CWC 2019. In none of the matches openers could give good start. Star opener Tamim looked like a shadow of his past. Soumya was scratchy. Other top order batsman Liton K Das for personal reason could not go to Sri Lanka. Experienced opener Anamul Haque Bijoy was included in the team. But for reasons best known to interim head coach Khaled Mahmud Sujon neither of the two struggling openers were replaced even after their awful form in match one.
Mithun who had to be benched after few matches in CWC and also failed in the first match was given opportunity at number three. Shakib Al Hasan treated like a prince was allowed to skip the tour. Mithun failed once again. Bangladesh batting first was soon reduced to 3/52 by 9th over. Mahmudullah for a while is looking very uncertain. His awful form continued as he was cleaned up by Akila playing wrong line. At 4/68 Bangladesh was looking down the barrel. Sabbir again ran himself out and Mosaddeq also failed to impress.
Bangladesh at 6/ 117 at the 32nd over was looking to be bundled out well below 200. Mushfique was there as lone warrior. Luckily he found a good allay in young Mehedy Miraj . These two put up a great rearguard action adding 84 invaluable runs in the 7th wicket partnership before Mehedy got out scoring 43 runs. Mushfique’s late burst took the score to 238/8. Mushfique remained not out 98. The great innings of Mushfique and good partnership between Mushfique and Miraj was the saving grace for Bangladesh. Wicket gripped and turned appreciably when Bangladesh batted. Akila Dhananjaya with 2/39 was the pick of the Lankan bowlers. Two pacers N Pradeep (2/53) and I Udana (2/58) also lend hands in restricting Bangladesh.
Bangladesh did not have the attack to defend their score. There was none to take wickets with the new ball. Moreover, Sri Lankan openers made planned attack on depleted Bangladesh bowling. Fernando was in cracking form unleashing series of aggressive strokes. 71 runs were added in the first wicket partnership before Miraj removed Skipper Karunaratne. MDKJ Perera joining Fernando kept the momentum going adding 58 runs for the second wicket. Sri Lanka was cruising .Cutter master Fizz appeared with his late over magic removing Fernando (82) and Perera (30) in quick succession. But then the damage was already done. Mathhews (52*) and Mendis (41*) with unbroken 96 runs 4th wicket partnership secured the series for Sri Lanka. Winning two in two Sri Lanka looks good to inflicting ignominious series White Wash on Bangladesh.
Bangladesh bleeding profusely need regrouping and bouncing back for salvaging some pride. Several puzzles Khaled Mahmud and Tamim combination may need to resolve. BCB top policy makers owes an explanation for making whole sale changes of coaching stuff and letting Shakib go on leave skipping an important series. Did Shakib play too much cricket? Is any individual bigger than the country?
BDST: 1220 HRS, JUL 29, 2019
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