Sports desk: Bangladesh won by 90 runs against Sri Lanka in the first ODI.Tamim Iqbal has struck a scintillating century in a colossal stand with Shakib Al Hasan to power Bangladesh to 324 for 5 against Sri Lanka in the first ODI.
The opener smashed 127 while Shakib cracked 72, knocking up 144 in 23.4 overs for the fourth wicket after Bangladesh were asked to bat at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday.
The tourists blasted 109 runs from the last 10 overs to post their highest total against Sri Lanka and the fourth highest total against them in their backyard.
Mosaddek Hossain (24) and Mahmudullah (13) then hammered 35 in the last 13 balls to put icing on the top.
Tamim survived 47.5 of Bangladesh’s over, studding his innings with 15 boundaries and a six for his eighth ODI century.
The opener earlier cropped up 90 runs for the second wicket with Sabbir Rahman (54) before capitalising on that with Shakib.
After Bangladesh lost Soumya Sarkar (10) early, Sabbir went out and took on the bowlers by hitting six boundaries for his first 24 runs, allowing Tamim to anchor at the other end.
With the hosts’ bowlers, barring pacer Suranga Lakmal, struggling to bowl in good areas, the duo surged past 100 in the 19th over.
Sabbir overturned an on-field lbw decision on review when he on 42 before reaching his fourth half-century off 48 deliveries hitting nine boundaries.
Sri Lanka then landed a double blow to dent the Tigers’ innings. Sabbir fell to a stunning effort from Upul Tharanga at short cover before Mushfiqur Rahim (1) sent a return catch to Lakshan Sandakan four balls later, and in came Shakib.
A day after his 30th birthday, Shakib appeared composed and willing to keep the swing of his willow to a minimum. He scored his first boundary off the 37th delivery he faced, though he kept the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos.
The pair paced the innings superbly, taking advantage of some poor fielding from the hosts, to stretch the partnership into the batting powerplay while Tamim, who reached his 10,000 international runs in the first over, inched closer to his century.
With Shakib pressing on at the other end, the left-handed batsman slowed down in his 90s. Eventually he worked one away to complete the century, leaping in the air to celebrate.
The ace allrounder then hammered three boundaries in the last over of powerplay and Bangladesh’s first six in the next over, before miscuing a cheeky stroke to be picked out.
Tamim then stepped up and cracked another six over square leg, which reached over the ropes due to a drop catch there, but pacer Lahiru Kumara got his man in the next ball.
Mosaddek and Mahmudullah carried Bangladesh past 300.
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (cpt), Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
Sri Lanka: Danushka Gunathilaka, Upul Tharanga (cpt), Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Asela Gunaratne, Sachith Pathirana, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Milinda Siriwardana, Lahiru Kumsara.
