Bowlers impress under pressure

The unprecedented 'Timed out' dismissal of Angelo Matthews may have been the key talking point during Sri Lanka innings, but Bangladesh bowlers did enough to make their presence felt on a batting-friendly Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi yesterday.

Coming into their eighth ICC World Cup match on the back of six consecutive defeats, skipper Shakib Al Hasan took the bold decision of opting to bowl and the bowlers responded to bundle out Sri Lanka for 279 in 49.3 overs.

Lankan skipper Kusal Mendis mentioned during the toss that anything above 300 would be a safe total in this pitch and eventually, Charith Asalanka's second ODI hundred helped Sri Lanka post a challenging total.

World Cup-debutant Tanzim Hasan Sakib scalped team-high three wickets – including the prized wicket of Asalanka -- but the pacer remained expensive. Left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam and Shakib also bagged a couple each, Miraz took one, while Taskin Ahmed kept things tight.

Bangladesh's fielding also remained up to the mark. In the innings' second over, wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim set the tone with a brilliant diving catch to send back opener Kusal Perera.

Pathum Nissanka and skipper Mendis, however, added 61 runs for the first wicket but Bangladesh struck a double blow.

First, Shakib sent Mendis (19) packing and was aided by Shoriful who took a sharp catch in the deep. Nissanka (41) was the next to fall, bowled out by pacer Sakib, leaving the island nation at 72 for three inside 13 overs.

The Tigers acquired a good grip on proceedings from then onwards and with Matthews 'Timed out' dismissal, Sri Lanka were struggling 135 for five at halfway.

Sadeera Samarawickrama then joined Asalanka to restart the rebuilding process. But, once again, Shakib provided the vital breakthrough by removing dangerman Samarawickrama (41) to break the 63-run stand.

That dismissal, however, did not dent Sri Lanka's spirit as the innings' highest partnership, 78, materialised through Asalanka and Dhananjaya De Silva.

Asalanka fought the lone battle and shepherded the tail from then, and picked up his century in the process before being dismissed on 108 off 105 balls, laced with five sixes and six fours.

Bangladesh bowlers demonstrated a disciplined act in the last five overs, conceding just 27 runs while picking up four wickets, paving the way for the Tigers to have the necessary momentum when they came out to chase.