All-Round Dilshan Sees Off Bangladesh Challenge

All-Round Dilshan Sees Off Bangladesh Challenge

Tillakaratne Dilshan scored a half-century as Sri Lanka scored 312 for four

©REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds (SRI LANKA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

All-Round Dilshan Sees Off Bangladesh Challenge

Upul Tharanga also passed 50 as Sri Lanka's batsmen dominated

©REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds (SRI LANKA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

All-Round Dilshan Sees Off Bangladesh Challenge

Dilshan (left) then returned three for 34 as Sri Lanka completed a comprehensive win

©REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds (SRI LANKA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Sri Lanka 312-4 (Dilshan 71, Tharanga 54, Sangakkara 52) beat
Bangladesh 186 (Tamim Iqbal 51, Dilshan 3-37) by 126 runs
Asia Cup game three, Dambulla
Scorecard

Sri Lanka made it two Asia Cup wins out of two with a comprehensive 126-run dismantling of Bangladesh in the third game of the 2010 competition in Dambulla.

Sri Lanka confirmed their position as favourites to win the Asia Cup as a strong batting performance saw them pile up 312 for four and Bangladesh were then dismissed for 186 in 40.2 overs as Tillakaratne Dilshan backed up a half-century with a haul of three wickets.

Half-centuries from their top three batsmen - Dilshan, Upul Tharanga and Kumar Sangakkara - put them on course for the largest score of the 2010 tournament by some distance.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Dilshan crashed a 30-ball half-century, hitting 11 fours on his way to 71 in 51 deliveries before he was caught and bowled by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan.

The opening partnership with Tharanga was worth 111 inside 16 overs and Tharanga went on to reach 54 in 73 balls with Sangakkara stroking 52 in 69 to heap the pressure on Bangladesh.

Their quick bowlers bore the brunt of the damage, with Mashrafe Mortaza and Syed Rasel leaking runs at more than seven per over although fellow pacer Shafiul Islam returned two for 59 by having both Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene (43) caught by Shakib.

Off-spinner Mahmudullah was the other man to take a wicket - that of Tharanga - before Sri Lanka hit out to good effect at the end of their innings with Angelo Mathews unbeaten on 42 in 41 balls and Chamara Kapugedera not out on 37 in 30.

Bangladesh, in complete contrast to Sri Lanka, then got off to a poor start to their innings when opener Imrul Kayes was caught by Jayawardene off Nuwan Kulasekara for three and he was joined in the dressing room by Mohammad Ashraful, who made nine before Dilshan had him trapped in front.

Ashraful's wicket came after an energetic 57-run partnership between Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique had been broken, Siddique making 38 in 34 balls before Kulasekara held a catch off the bowling of Muttiah Muralitharan.

Iqbal made 51 in 53 balls but Dilshan had him stumped as he attempted to add to his tally of five fours and one six.

Shakib then hit 20 and while Naeem Islam and Mortaza both scored 15 but they were the only other players to reach double figures as Bangladesh's batting disappointed once again and they were unable to live with the home side.

Dilshan returned three for 37 by also having Mushfiqur Rahim stumped while Muralitharan, Chanaka Welagedara and Lasith Malinga all picked up two wickets.

Sri Lanka will complete their group stage by playing Pakistan on 22nd June while Bangladesh next play India on 21st June.

© Cricket World 2010

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