MOMENTS
GAME AND SET IN THE FIFTH OVER
The common thread in Bangladesh's first three matches of the tri-series was the partnerships built by opener Tamim Iqbal and number three Shakib Al Hasan, with the duo putting on stands of 78, 99 and 106 runs for the second wicket. Yesterday in the last league match against Sri Lanka, a repeat was on the cards when Anamul Haque fell cheaply, but then the partners in crime wronged each other. In the fifth over, with the partnership on a nascent five, Tamim pushed Suranga Lakmal towards point and called for a run. There was a bit of hesitation as Dushmantha Gunathilaka shot into action in a flash, picked up the ball and hit the one stump he had to aim at to run out Shakib, who had given up by the end. Just one ball later, Lakmal got a ball to rear up sharply and Tamim fended it in the air to point, where it was Gunathilaka again who completed a spectacular diving catch. It was game and set then, and match less than three hours later.
ABUL'S HOWLER
The decision review system is designed to eliminate howlers from umpires, but it failed to take into account howlers from blindly optimistic batsmen. Abul Hasan, he of the unexpected debut Test hundred from number 10 in 2013, came in ahead of the nominally more capable Nasir Hossain and his only real contribution in his first match back into the side in nearly three years was a wasted review. In the 19th over, Thisara Perera cut one back to the left-hander and it caught the inside edge on way to the keeper. The umpire gave it out but Abul talked to non-striker Mushfiqur Rahim and reviewed. It is never a good sign when a batsman has to ask the non-striker whether or not he hit the ball and, as sure as day follows night, there was a spike on the Ultra Edge and Abul had to walk back.
FIZZ MISSES OUT ON 50TH
Skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza said after the match that he did not want to use his best bowlers before the final in the futile defence of 82, but he used Mustafizur Rahman because he was on 49 wickets and the bowler wanted to bowl. The hunt for an individual milestone backfired as instead of his wickets increasing, it was Fizz's economy rate that rose as he conceded 14 runs in 1.5 overs, including the winning runs.
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