Top-ranked Sri Lanka edged out Bangladesh by two runs in a last-ball thriller in their first T20 at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Wednesday.
Anamul Haque smashed a fine 58, having batted brilliantly to bring the Tigers back in it after the visitors, put in to bat first, scored 168 for seven in 20 overs.Bangladesh can consider themselves unfortunate in every way. They needed a boundary off the last ball but Anamul, who had dispatched the penultimate ball for four, miscued a high full toss straight up in the air.
Umpires reviewed Thisara Perera’s delivery for no-ball but it looked it was just a shade above waist-high. The Bangladesh camp looked unhappy but since the umpires did not call a no-ball, the third umpire had little to do.
Bangladesh got off to a flier as Tamim Iqbal (30) and Shamsur Rahman (22) went berserk, adding 52 runs for the first wicket.
But the openers were dismissed in quick succession as Shamsur was the first to go for a simple return catch to Ajantha Mendis. Tamim, in the very next over, struck Thisara Perera high for a catch to Angelo Mathews.
Anamul continued the good start and was ably supported by Shakib Al Hasan (26) and Nasir Hossain (15).
He went on to notch up his maiden T20I fifty and almost pulled off a thriller for his team. With 17 runs required in the last over he brought it down to three off the last ball striking two boundaries after a run out wasted the third ball.
The Sri Lankan bowlers were led by Nuwan Kulasekara who was economical with 2/29. Their bowlers were also well supported by some outstanding fielding to halt Bangladesh at 166 for seven.
Sri Lanka successfully used the slower ball as their primary weapon against Bangladeshi batsmen.
Bangladesh were well in the hunt despite falling behind the required run rate with Shakib and Anamul putting up a 43-run stand.
Shakib lost his leg stump to a Kulasakera slower after missing a couple of ungainly heaves.
With the required run rate quickly building up in the final overs, Nasir tried to relieve pressure with a big shot off Lasith Malinga only to send the ball high for a catch to Angelo Mathews.
And when Mithun Ali (0), the debutant, went of the very first ball of his career in the next over, the hosts found the going tough.
Earlier, Sri Lanka, after slipping in the first over with Tillakaratne Dilshan’s (0) wicket, made a fluent start with Kusal Perera and Dinesh Chandimal pairing up for a 54-run second wicket partnership.
Kulasekara (31) sent a disguised Mashrafe Mortaza ball high in the air for a catch to Shamsur Rahman at deep square leg. Angelo Mathews (11) was involved in a mix-up with the partner for a run out.
Kusal Perera (64 off 44) launched the Sri Lankan batting in high tempo. He was sent back by Arafat Sunny for an athletic jump catch by Anamul Haque at the midwicket boundary inches away from the rope, converting a six to a dismissal.
Dinesh Chandimal (18), the Sri Lankan captain, was sent packing by Shakib Al Hasan after a 54-run second wicket partnership. In Shakib’s very next over he picked up the big fish Kumara Sangakkara (11) for a brilliant diving catch by Nasir Hossain.
Debutant Arafat Sunny struck in his first international over sending Seekkuge Prasanna (4) back for a catch. The fielder was Nasir, again.
Mashrafe Mortaza struck in the first over when he went through the gates of Tillakaratne Dilshan (0).
Mashrafe is leading the Tigers in Mushfiqur Rahim’s stead as the wicketkeeper batsman is ruled out of the series for injury.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mahela Jayawardena was ruled out of the Twenty20 series too with hand injury and left Chittagong. – bdnews24.com
