Tigers fight in defeat

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Bangladesh’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign got off on the wrong foot here on Saturday when a thoroughly professional former world champions Sri Lanka handed the Tigers a convincing 37-run defeat.

The opening game of the second best one-day tournament after the World Cup turned into a mismatch when the Lankans piled up 302-8 in their share of 50 overs thanks to a sublime century from their young left-handed opener Upul Tharanga.

Bangladesh, who have never chased down a total beyond 300 before, were restricted to 265 for 9.

Although Sakibul Hasan scored a gritty unbeaten 67, his maiden half-century, and got unlikely support from the tail to reduce the margin of defeat, the problem with the opening stand still remained a worry despite Mohammad Ashraful opened the innings with left-handed Shahriar Nafees, who was surprisingly very submissive during his 8.3 over stay at the wicket. He put on 22 runs with Ashraful before departing to a fabulous diving catch by wicketkeeper Kumara Sangakkara.

Ashraful was unlucky to be caught down the leg side after scoring a patient 18. It was only Aftab Ahmed who faced the fire with fire before his cameo 31-ball 33 that featured five fours and massive six against Dilhara Fernando came to an abrupt end.

Bangladesh’s hopes of getting close to the Sri Lankan summit were effectively dashed when skipper Habibul Bashar, playing his first Champions Trophy match, was out for a duck. Bashar edged the second ball he faced from Farveez Mahroof straight to his Lankan counterpart Mahela Jayawardane in the second slip.

Bangladesh were looking down the barrel at 4-78 before young guns Sakibul and Forhad Reza produced 63 runs for the fifth wicket. Reza dominated what was Bangladesh’s highest stand with an attacking 34 off 31 balls that contained five fours and a six. But the efforts of Reza and the rest only delayed the inevitable in a match where the Tigers showed their uncanny habit of being extremely attacking or extremely defensive.

Earlier, the Lankans proved Bashar’s decision to field first wrong with their vaunted top-order Sanath Jayasiria (31), Jayawardane (35), Sangakara (22) and back-in-business Marvan Atapattu (40) playing the supporting role of their young talent Tharanga.

Tharanga’s fifth hundred in 30 ODIs not only spoke of his class but also put him ahead of Indian great Sachin Tendulkar in terms of scoring centuries per match. Tendulkar with highest 40 one-day hundred holds an average of scoring a century in nine games.

Tharanga struck 11 fours and a six in his 129-ball 105.

Bangladesh expected a lot from their new-ball pair of Mashrafee Bin Mortuza and Syed Rasel but apart from one confident appeal against Jayasuriya early in the Lankan innings, they could hardly make any impression on a wicket touted as a bowler-friendly one.

Rasel took two wickets giving away 56 runs in his 10 overs while left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak claimed 2-49. Veteran left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique was most economical with 1-37 in 10 overs.

Bangladesh play their next match against the West Indies at Jaipur on October 11.

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