Shakib-Shanto lead Bangladesh to a World Cup victory over SL
Shakib Al Hasan celebrates his half-century with Najmul Hossain Shanto
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Bangladesh clinched a win over Sri Lanka after their woeful World Cup run in India, as they beat the Lankans by three wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.
Sri Lanka batter Angelo Mathews became the first player to be given "timed out" in the history of international cricket, which was the talk of today’s match.
During the 280 chase, Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim failed to deliver again at the top as he departed for a five-ball nine having put away two boundaries.
Sri Lanka pacer Dilshan Madushanka bowled an in-swinging yorker to dismiss Bangladesh opener Litton Das in the seventh over of the innings after taking the wicket of his partner Tamim.
Litton, who cramped up after hitting Kasun Rajitha for two sixes in the sixth over, had no answer to Madushanka's yorker in the next over, taking an eternity to get his bat down and even then it couldn't get through as it brushed against the ground and pounded against his front pad.
His dismissal after scoring a 23-ball 22 left Bangladesh at two down for 43 after seven overs.
But then skipper Shakib al Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto made an outstanding third-wicket partnership of 169 off 149 to snatch the match from Sri Lanka.
Mathews managed to dismiss Shakib, who grabbed two wickets in the first innings, after the left-hander scored a 65-ball 82.
Shakib, who appealed the umpire for a ‘time out’ against Mathews in the first innings, returned after reaching the crease and hammered two sixes and 12 fours. He scooped a slower ball to cover, ending Bangladesh's record third-wicket partnership in a World Cup.
Mathews didn't forget to give Shakib a sendoff as his muted celebration saw him looking at his wrist indicating a sense of the time out.
Shanto (90) missed out on a ton when he bottom-edged a delivery by Mathews onto the stumps in the 34th over to put a halt to his run of six successive games where he was dismissed for single digit scores-- 0,7,8,0,9, and 4 respectively.
Veteran Mahmudullah Riyad (22) and Mushfiqur Rahim (10) failed to end the game as Mushfiq was dismissed by Madushanka, which is his third wicket of the day and then Maheesh Theekshana bowled Mahmudullah.
However, Towhid Hridoy’s unbeaten 15 off 7 took Bangladesh to the finishing line to celebrate their second victory in the ongoing tournament.
Shakib was later voted man of the match for his all-round performance with bat and ball.
PHOTO: Angelo Mathews walks off after being given timed out
Earlier, Charith Asalanka steered the side with a century as Sri Lanka scored 279.
Asalanka scored a 106-ball 108 which featured six 4’s and five sixes and Tanzim Hasan Sakib grabbed three wickets in his World Cup debut.
Opting to field, Shoriful Islam gave a brilliant start to the innings by returning Kusal Perera (4) with Mushfiqur Rahim taking a superb catch behind the stumps.
Skipper Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka stitched a partnership of 61 runs to tackle the initial pressure until Shakib gave the breakthrough by removing Mendis on 19 runs with a stellar catch at long-on.
Tanzim castled Pathum Nissanka (41 off 36) to scalped his maiden World Cup wicket after a couple of overs as the batter got an inside edge back on the stumps.
Shakib struck again to get rid of set batsman Sadeera Samarawickrama who scored 41 runs off 42 aided by four boundaries.
Sri Lanka suffered another blow when Mathews became the first cricketer to get timed out in International cricket.
Timed out is a specific method of dismissal. It provided two minutes for the incoming batsman to "step onto the field of play" If the batter becomes late it will be considered as out.
The incident took place during 24.2 overs when Mathews came to bat but his helmet’s strap was broken while he waited for the replacement, Shakib appealed and Mathews was given out.
Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva began the rebuilding process for Sri Lanka and added a 78-run partnership to steady their innings before Miraz axed de Silva on 34 runs.
Asalanka went to register his second ODI hundred as Maheesh Theekshana played a brief innings of 22 off 31 deliveries with three boundaries.
