Tanzid, Rishad blitz seal series for Bangladesh

Bangladesh Team celebrate their series win

Bangladesh edged out Sri Lanka by four wickets in the third and deciding One Day International (ODI) to claim the series 2-1 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram yesterday.  
Bangladesh successfully chased down Sri Lanka’s total of 235 with nearly 10 overs and four wickets to spare.   
Leading the way was young Tanzid Tamim, who replaced Soumya Sarkar as the concussion substitute and scored an outstanding 84 from 81 balls - the most runs ever scored by a concussed substitute since Marnus Labuschange (80).  
Although Lahiru Kumara bowled brilliantly and recorded his first four-for in an ODI, he did not have the requisite backing from his teammates.  
Bangladesh lost wickets quickly in the middle of the innings, but they were able to win in the end as a result of a strong performance by veteran Mushfiqur Rahim and another youngster, Rishad Hossain, who smashed an unbeaten 48 from just 18 deliveries.  
When the Man-of-the-Match Rishad entered, the game was in the balance but he completely turned the tide in favour of Bangladesh by hitting five fours and four sixes.  
Earlier, Janith Liyanage’s maiden ODI century revived Sri Lanka’s stuttering innings and lifted them to 235 after they were reduced to 154 for seven in the 35th over.  
It was his 60-run stand with number nine Matheesha Pathirana that brought Sri Lanka back into the game and posted a competitive score.  
Liyanage was impressive with his strokeplay even with wickets falling all around him. He struck 11 fours and two sixes during his 102-ball knock, one over long-on and the other swivelled off Shoriful Islam over fine-leg.  
For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed bowled superbly, returning three for 42 off his 10 overs. It included an excellent first spell where he took out Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando cheaply.  
Mustafizur Rahman and Mehidy Miraz picked two wickets apiece while Hossain and Soumya Sarkar took one each.  
Sri Lanka started the day poorly when their in-form opener Pathum Nissanka fell lbw to Taskin nine balls into the innings.  
Mustafizur, who replaced the injured Tanzim Sakib in this game, removed Sadeera Samarawickrama with his first ball in the game. Sri Lanka then slipped to 74 for four in the 18th over when Rishad Hossain got rid of Kusal Mendis with a leg-break that Mendis could only edge behind.  
Charith Asalanka added 43 for the fifth wicket with Liyanage as they looked to resurrect the Sri Lanka batting. Asalanka struck five fours in his 37 but fell to Mustafizur in the 25th over. 
(Agencies)