Shanto, Mushfiqur guide Tigers to six-wicket win over SL in ODI opener 

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto notched up his third ODI ton and veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim scored a fifty to guide their side to a comfortable six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first of the three-match ODI series in Chattogram on Wednesday. 

Shanto put away 13 fours and two sixes for his unbeaten 129-ball 122, his career-best score, and Mushfiqur was not out on 73 off 84 balls, a knock laced with eight fours, as the duo put together a 165–run stand for the fifth wicket to take the Tigers home with 32 balls to spare after a top-order meltdown that reduced the hosts to three down for 27 after six overs in pursuit of Sri Lanka's 256-run target. 

"We knew that with the new ball it's quite hard so I just backed my skill and took a little bit of time. Later on, the wicket was very easy because of the dew," Shanto said in the post-match interview.

Despite chasing a modest total, Bangladesh's start got off to a rocky start as openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarker departed inside the first three overs of the Tigers' chase to leave the hosts two down for 15.

Liton Das's rut continued as he departed on the first delivery of the second innings. Sri Lanka pacer Dilshan Madushanka shaped it back on a good length which caught Liton on the crease. The right-handed batter got cramped for space and could only chop it on to the stumps.

Soumya's dismissal was also a soft one as the left-handed batter, who has built a reputation for blowing hot and cold, gifted his wicket away when he top-edged a short one that was going across him off the bowling of Madushanka. It was a wide delivery which he could've cut or even left alone but he ended up prodding his bat at it without much thought or intent as he top-edged it to square-leg.

Towhid Hridoy could do little to help his side as he departed in the sixth over of the innings to leave the Tigers three down for 27 after six overs. Hridoy's dismissal appeared to be baffling as he missed a rather straight delivery bowled by Pramod Madushan and got castled. 

Bangladesh had recovered from their top-order failure with a 69-run stand between skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudullah Riyad but the latter miscued one in the 16th over to leave the Tigers four down for 94 after 16 overs. Mahmudullah, who put away four boundaries and a maximum for his run-a-ball 37, tried to pull a short one from Lankan pacer Lahiru Kumara but got his timing wrong as he miscued it through a top-edge that was grasped by Dilshan Madushanka, who speeded from deep square-leg to cow-corner and had to put in a dive to ensure he took the hold of the catch.

It was Shanto and Mushfiqur who took control and chipped away at the target with considerable grit and ample control. Mushfiqur thwarted away the mystery spin duo of Wanindu Hasaranaga and Maheesh Theekshana, while Shanto remained unbothered in his mission to get the Tigers over line and he kept the innings ticking with ease. 

Shanto notches up third ODI ton 

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto notched up his third ODI ton to take Bangladesh on the brink of victory in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on Wednesday.

Shanto, who put away 11 fours and a six, reached his century in 108 balls and played a responsible knock after the Tigers were in trouble having being reduced to three down for 27 after six overs while chasing a 256-run target. 

The left-handed batter also stitched an unbeaten 126-run stand with Mushfiqur Rahim who was not out on 57 off 65 deliveries which propelled the Tigers to 218 for four after 38 overs. 

Shanto, Mushfiqur hit fifties to put Tigers on top 

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran wicket-keeper batter Mushfiqur Rahim hit fifties to get Bangladesh on the driving seat in their 256-run target against Sri Lanka in the first ODI in Chattogram on Wednesday.

After 36 overs, Shanto's 99-ball 88 and Mushfiqur's 62-ball 56 propelled the Tigers to 204 for four. 

Shanto hits fifty to keep Tigers on track 

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto scored his ninth ODI fifty to keep his side on track to chase down Sri Lanka's 256-run target in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on Wednesday.

Shanto, who put away eight four and a six, reached his fifty in 52 balls to propel the Tigers to 128 for four after 22 overs. Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on a 15-ball 22 at the other end.

This was Shanto's third straight fifty against the Lankans. He scored the other two in the Asia Cup followed by the World Cup last year.  

Mahmudullah departs after 69-run stand with Shanto

Bangladesh had recovered from their top-order failure with a 69-run stand between skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudullah Riyad but the latter miscued one in the 16th over to leave the Tigers four down for 94 after 16 overs in the in pursuit of Sri Lanka's 256-run target in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on Wednesday.

Mahmudullah, who put away four boundaries and a maximum for his run-a-ball 37, tried to pull a short one from Lankan pacer Lahiru Kumara but got his timing wrong as he miscued it through a top-edge that was grasped by Dilshan Madushanka, who speeded from deep square-leg to cow-corner and had to put in a dive to ensure he took the hold of the catch. 

Hridoy's departure leaves Tigers three down inside Powerplay  

Towhid Hridoy departed in the sixth over of the innings to leave the Tigers three down for 27 after six overs in pursuit of Sri Lanka's 256-run target in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on Wednesday.

Hridoy's dismissal appeared to be baffling as he missed a rather straight delivery bowled by Pramod Madushan and got castled. 

This brought Mahmudullah Riyad to the crease, with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto unbeaten on  six at the other end.

Liton out first ball, Soumya departs soon after

Bangladesh openers Liton Das and Soumya Sarker departed inside the first three overs of the Tigers' chase to leave the hosts two down for 15 in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on Wednesday.

Bangladesh opener Liton Das rut continued as he departed on the first delivery of the second innings. Sri Lanka pacer Dilshan Madushanka shaped it back on a good length which caught Liton on the crease. The right-handed batter got cramped for space and could only chop it on to the stumps.

Soumya's dismissal was also a soft one as the left-handed batter, who has built a reputation for blowing hot and cold, gifted his wicket away when he top-edged a short one that was going across him off the bowling of Madushanka. It was a wide delivery which he could've cut or even left alone but he ended up prodding his bat at it without much thought or intent as he top-edged it to square-leg.

Tanzim, Taskin, Shoriful restrict Lanka to 255

Half-centuries from Kusal Mendis and Janith Liyanage gave some semblance of respectability to Sri Lanka's innings, which had at the initial stage looked set for something monumental, in the first ODI against Bangladesh in Chattogram on Wednesday.

The visitors were eventually bowled out for 255 in 48.5 overs, with Tanzim Sakib, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam -- the three pacers taking three wickets each.

Mendis scored 59 off 75 balls to steady the Lankan ship after triple strike from  Sakib had reduced the visitors, who had opted to bat first, from 71 for none in the 10th overs to 84 for three in the 14th. Later on Liyanage scored 67 off 69 deliveries amid a three-wicket burst from Taskin Ahmed as Sri Lanka lost steam in the last 10 overs. Shoriful then mopped up the tail with a quick burst -- the innings ending with a spectacular catch from Sakib.         

Mendis falls but Sri Lanka eye strong finish

Even as skipper Kusal Mendis fell for a 75-ball 59 to a Taskin Ahmed delivery, Sri Lanka's long batting line-up was ensuring they never lose steam, especially coming into the business end of their innings. 

Janith Liyanage reached a run-a-ball half-century and had for company Wanindu Hasaranga, who was looking to cut lose since coming in to bat at No. 7.  Sri Lanka were 220 for five in 40 overs, with Maheesh Thikshana and the three seamers left to bat. 

Miraz sends Asalanka back

Mehdi Hasan Miraz castled Charith Asalanka just as he was looking to rebuild the innings with skipper Kusal Mendis following three quick wickets after a rollicking start.

The left-handed batter was completely bamboozled by one that straightened after pitching, with the attacking batter falling for just 18 off 37 deliveries. Sri Lanka were 130 for four after 26 overs with Mendis batting on 26.

Tanzim Sakib on fire

Tanzim Hasan Sakib ended the ominous opening stand between Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando, removing both batter in consecutive overs as Bangladesh are looking to stem the run flow after a flying start for the visitors. The young fast bowler removed Sadeera Samarawickrama in his next over, reducing the Lankans to 84 for three in the 14th over.

Sakib came in to bowl in the eighth over and got his first wicket in the 10th, getting Fernando (33) caught behind with one that shaped slighly away from the right-handed batter. 

The young pacer's next over saw the fall of Nissanka (36), who had just come off a double century and a century against Afghanistan, with the batter toe-ending the delivery to wide slip.  

Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis opted to bat first in the first ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh in Chattogram on Wednesday,

Kusal said at the toss that he felt the wicket at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is a good one for batting and that he was looking for a score of around 280.

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said he wouldn't mind batting second too much, given there is a bit of dew late in the evening. 

Both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, who have developed a storied rivalry in the last six years, are playing with three seamers and two spinners. However, there is a surprise as out-of-form pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been left out in favour of Tanzim Hasan Sakib for Bangladesh. 

TEAMS:

Bangladesh: Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzid Hasan

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Pramod Madushan, Dilshan Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara