COLOMBO: Avishka Fernando hit a quick-fire half-century as Sri Lanka eased to a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second One-day International to seal the three-match series in Colombo on Sunday.

Opener Fernando made 82 off 75 balls, helping Sri Lanka reach 242-3 in 44.4 overs after Bangladesh were restricted to 238-8, despite wicket-keeper/batsman Mushfiqur Rahim making an unbeaten 98.

Fernando and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne set the tone for Sri Lanka’s run chase with 71-run stand before Bangladesh had their first success through off-spinner Mehidy Hasan.

Mehidy bowled Karunaratne for 15 but Fernando and Kusal Perera continued the hosts’ onslaught to put Sri Lanka, who won Friday’s opening game by 91 runs, also at the R. Premadasa Stadium, firmly in control.

Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Fernando and Perera, who made 30 off 34 balls, in quick succession to revive Bangladesh’s hopes but Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews denied them further success.

Mathews struck occasional leg-spinner Sabbir Rahman for a four to complete Sri Lanka’s win. He was unbeaten on 52 from 57 balls. The former Sri Lankan skipper was well supported by Mendis (41) in an unbroken 96-run fourth wicket stand.

“I am disappointed to not get to the three-figure mark and hopefully I can convert my starts into bigger knocks in the future,” said man-of-the-match Fernando. “The track was a bit slow and also spun a bit. I am glad that I was able to make a contribution.”

Mustafizur finished with 2-50 for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh had Mushfiqur to thank for providing them something to fight with after their top-order crumbled for the second time in the series.

Mushfiqur slammed six fours and a six in a 110-ball innings to bail out Bangladesh who lost their first six wickets for 117 runs.

Mushfiqur and number eight Mehidy shared 84 runs, a seventh-wicket record for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka to give the visitors’ innings some respectability.

Mehidy made 43 off 46 balls with six boundaries before he was caught by Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne at mid-off off Nuwan Pradeep.

Pradeep, fellow pace bowler Isuru Udana and leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya claimed two wickets each for Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh were in trouble soon after skipper Tamim Iqbal won the toss and elected to bat.

Pradeep trapped opener Soumya Sarkar leg-before for 11 before Tamim dragged an Udana delivery onto his stump after making 19.

Dananjaya removed Mohammad Mithun for 12 and bowled Mahmudullah Riyad for six before Sabbir Rahman’s run out for 11 compounded Bangladesh’s woes.

Mushfiqur began his fight back with Mehidy after Udana had Mosaddek Hossain caught by wicket-keeper Kusal Perera for 13.

Mushfiqur went off the strike in the fifth ball of the final over to miss out on his eighth ODI hundred by just two runs.

The third and final match of the series will be held at the same venue on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate in first ODI the International Cricket Council said.

Bangladesh was found to be two overs short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration, match referee Chris Broad said in a statement.

Skipper Tamim was fined 40 per cent of his match fees while other players have received 20 per cent fines.

Scoreboard

BANGLADESH:

Tamim Iqbal b Udana 19
Soumya Sarkar lbw b Pradeep 11
M. Mithun c Mendis b Dananjaya 12
Mushfiqur Rahim not out 98
Mahmudullah b Dananjaya 6
Sabbir Rahman run out 11
Mosaddek Hossain c Perera b Udana 13
Mehidy Hasan c Karunaratne b Pradeep 43
Taijul Islam run out 3
Mustafizur Rahman not out 2

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-4, W-12, NB-1) 20

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 50 overs) 238

FALL OF WKTS: 1-26, 2-31, 3-52, 4-68, 5-88 6-117, 7-201, 8-231.

DID NOT BAT: Shafiul Islam

BOWLING: De Silva 10-0-39-0 (1w); Pradeep 10-0-53-2 (1nb, 1w); Udana 10-0-58-2 (1w); Kumara 10-0-42-0 (3w); Dananjaya 10-0-39-2 (2w).

SRI LANKA:

W.I.A. Fernando c Tamim b Mustafizur 82
F.D.M. Karunaratne b Mehidy 15
M.D.K.J. Perera c Soumya b Mustafizur 30
B.K.G. Mendis not out 41
A.D. Mathews not out 52

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, W-12, NB-1) 22

TOTAL (for three wkts, 44.4 overs) 242

FALL OF WKTS: 1-71, 2-129, 3-146.

DID NOT BAT: H.D.R.L. Thirimanne, D.M. de Silva, A. Dananjaya, I. Udana, N. Pradeep, C.B.R.L.S. Kumara.

BOWLING: Mehidy Hasan 10-0-51-1; Shafiul Islam 5-0-29-0 (2w); Taijul Islam 10-2-35-0 (2w); Mustafizur Rahman 8-0-50-2 (1nb, 3w); Mosaddek Hossain 7-0-32-0 (1w); Sabbir Rahman 2.4-0-20-0; Soumya Sarkar 2-0-16-0.

RESULT: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets to lead three-match series 2-0.

UMPIRES: L.E. Hannibal (Sri Lanka) and M. Erasmus (South Africa.

TV UMPIRE: N.N. Menon (India).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Avishka Fernando.

THIRD MATCH: Colombo (D/N), Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2019