Tamim says after Tigers lose the 3rd ODI by 97 runs
Bangladesh were unable to execute the perfect game as Sri Lanka bounced back from two defeats with a convincing 97-run win in the third and final ODI at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
Skipper Kusal Perera’s magnificent hundred helped the tourists post a fighting total of 286 for six before a maiden five-wicket haul from young pacer Dushmantha Chameera bundled out the hosts for 189 in 42.3 overs.
Having lost the series already, the visitors had made four changes to the side while the hosts went in with one change, left-hander Naim Sheikh replacing Liton Das at the top of the order.
However, the change did not pay any dividend for the hosts as Naim managed only one run before becoming the first victim of Chameera. The lanky fast-bowler went on to pick up two more wickets soon — Shakib Al Hasan (4), who was unable to make an impact throughout the series, and Tamim Iqbal (17) — as the Tigers were reduced to 28 for three.
Player-of-the-series Mushfiqur Rahim and Mosaddek Hossain tried to build a partnership, adding 56 runs for the fourth wicket, but Mushfiqur’s dismissal for 28 signalled the start of the end for the Tigers.
Mosaddek and Mahmudullah scored fifties but it was never enough for Bangladesh with the required run rate climbing all the time.
Skipper Tamim, at the post-match conference, said that despite winning the series the Tigers will need to improve a lot in the coming days.
“I would say we were lucky enough to win the first two games. Our batting hasn’t been up to the mark and we need to work on this aspect. Our bowling was good in the first two games but once again we lacked consistency with the ball and were shaky in our catching and fielding in the third game. So there is still a lot of work to be done,” Tamim said.
For Sri Lanka, though, it was the best performance all around and skipper Perera led from the front by scoring his sixth century after electing to bat first.
Perera, alongside Dhanushka Gunathilaka, scored 82 runs for the opening wicket, and despite Gunathilaka’s departure for 39 off the bowling of Taskin Ahmed, Perea kept the scoreboard ticking.
The left-hander was dropped three times and made full use of those let-offs. He was first dropped on 66 by Mustafizur Rahman off Shakib Al Hasan before being dropped on 79 by Afif Hossain. The easiest chance, though, was grassed by Mahmudullah at mid-on off the bowling of Rahman, with the batsman one short of his century.
Perera was eventually dismissed by Shoriful Islam for 120 off 122 balls — his innings featuring eleven fours and a six. Bangladesh did manage to pick up wickets at regular intervals but the early platform laid by the openers helped the visitors to continue the momentum. Dhananjaya de Silva’s unbeaten 55 off 70 balls guided the visitors to the big total.
Taskin was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts with four wickets for 46 runs in nine overs.
-With The Daily Star input
