Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed an unbeaten 161 off 146 balls and Kumar Sangakkara marked his 400th one-day international with a century as Sri Lanka whipped butter-fingered Bangladesh by 92 runs in the World Cup yesterday.
Sri Lanka, who were dismissed for 233 by New Zealand and then struggled to chase down Afghanistan’s 232, finally came good with the bat after electing to take first strike.
Dilshan and Sangakkara, who hit 105 not out in his landmark match, lifted Sri Lanka to a mammoth 332-1 that proved too hot to chase for Bangladesh, who folded up for 240 with three overs to spare.
Photo: AFP
Sri Lanka were helped along by a shoddy fielding display by Bangladesh, whose maiden appearance at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground was marred by five missed chances.
Dilshan put on 122 for the first wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne (52) and an undefeated 210 for the second with Sangakkara, who added two catches and a stumping to his 22nd one-day century.
“Dilshan and Sangakkara were brilliant, they batted us through, took calculated risks and it was a great effort by the three batters,” Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews said.
“We were slightly sloppy in the field and could have done better, but once you’ve got 300 on the board your bowlers can take chances. We’re all ready for the England game,” added Mathews in reference to their next Pool A game in Wellington on Sunday.
Sangakkara, 37, became only the fourth cricketer — and the third Sri Lanka player after Sanath Jayasuriya (445) and current teammate Mahela Jayawardene (444) — to play 400 one-day internationals.
The list is headed by retired India star Sachin Tendulkar with 463 games.
Dilshan compiled one-day cricket’s highest individual score that did not contain a six — he hit 22 fours — as he anchored the innings to carry his bat in front of about 30,000 spectators.
Left-handed Thirimanne survived three missed chances in his half-century which followed his 65 in the tournament opener against New Zealand.
Anamul Haque spilled a waist-high catch in the first over off Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza, who then had an edge go past the wicketkeeper and first slip when Thirimanne was on 22.
The batsman moved to 44 when Mushfiqur Rahim missed a stumping off Sabbir Rahman, but Thirimanne’s luck ran out as an airy cut off seamer Rubel Hossain was snapped up by third man.
Sangakkara had made only 23 when he top-edged a short ball from Taskin Ahmed, but the ball spilled out of the bowler’s hand as he dived forward to hold the catch.
Sangakkara completed his 94th one-day half-century by sweeping Shakib Al Hasan for his eighth boundary, but escaped a second time soon after when Mominul Haque dropped a catch at point off Rubel.
The 37-year-old reached his century in the final over to complete a total domination by the Sri Lanka batsmen of the Bangladesh attack.
“Our bowlers weren’t up to the mark and hopefully in the next match we will improve,” Bangladesh skipper Mortaza said.
“Dilshan and Sangakkara played well and showed their character today. I hope our next game will be our best in the tournament,” he said.
Bangladesh lost their flamboyant opener Tamim Iqbal off the second ball, bowled by Lasith Malinga, and slipped to 41-3 by the seventh over.
Anamul’s misery in Melbourne mounted when, after making a stroke-filled 29, he charged down the wicket for a non-existent single and was run out by a direct throw from Mathews.
Sabbir Rahman top-scored with 53 and Shakib made 46 during a sixth-wicket stand of 64 with Rahim, but their effort came too late to cause a dramatic change of fortunes for Bangladesh.
Malinga finished with three wickets, with Suranga Lakmal and Dilshan claiming two each.
Sri Lanka brought in batsman Dinesh Chandimal in place of all-rounder Jeevan Mendis, who was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury.
Bangladesh retained the same side that defeated Afghanistan in their first game. Their match against co-hosts Australia was washed out.
Sri Lanka have four points from three games.
Bangladesh, left with three points from as many matches, are next due to play Scotland in Nelson, New Zealand, on Thursday next week.
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