Dhaka – Bangladesh National Cricket team, now in Sri Lanka to play a three-match ODI series against the Island nation, made a good start beating Sri Lankan Board President Eleven by five wickets in the lone tour match at P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Tuesday.In absence of regular captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury just one day the before team’s departure, Tamim Iqbal is leading the Tigers in the Island nation.
The Tigers, without key players-like Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, world number one ODI all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin and Liton Das— will play three ODIs against the hosts Sri Lanka July 26, 28 and 31.
In the day’s warm-up match, Sri Lankan Board President X1 opened the innings first after winning the toss and scored a fighting total of 282 for 8 in stipulated 50 overs.
But, number seven right handed batsman Dasun Shanaka quick-fired the team highest and unbeaten 86 runs off just 63 balls, featuring six fours and six sixes, middle order Shehan Jayasuriya contributed 56 runs off 78 deliveries hitting five fours while number four Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored 49-ball 32 runs with four fours.
Lower order De Silva and opener Danushka Gunathilaka added 28 and 26 runs respectively for the hosts.
Soumya Sarkar and Rubel Hossain grabbed two wickets each conceding 29 and 31 runs respectively while Farhad Reza, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed took one wicket each giving away 22, 29 and 57 runs respectively.
In reply, stand-in captain Tamim Iqbal’s Bangladesh team, riding on 91 runs by top order batsman Mohammad Mithun, easily reached their target scoring 285 runs for 5 in 48.1 overs.
One down Mohammad Mithun hammered a polished 91 runs off 100 balls with eleven hits to fence and one over fence, Mushfiqur Rahim contributed 46-ball 50 hitting six fours and one six after captain cum opener Tamim Iqbal made 47-ball 37 runs with the help of six boundaries.
Besides, all rounder Mahmudullah (33), Sabbir Rahman (not out 31) and Mosaddek Hossain (not out 15) were the other notable contributors of Bangladesh.Lahiru Kumara claimed two wickets for 26 runs.UNB
