Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka to win their first match. (Source: AP)
Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by 137 runs to win their first match of the Asia Cup. It was an easy win in the end for Bangladesh as they restricted the Islanders to 124 in 35.2 overs. Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim’s incredible 144 led Bangladesh to a competitive first inning score of 261 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This was also Rahim’s highest ODI score. At one point Bangladesh were 1/2 in the first over and ended up with 261 in 49.3 overs. For Sri Lanka, Lasith Malinga bagged four wickets while Dhananjaya de Silva picked up two wickets. However, in reply, the Lankan batsmen struggled and lost wickets at regular intervals to ultimately fall short of the target.
Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka. (Source: Twitter/Bangladesh Cricket Team)
ALL OVER! Amila Aponso is the last man to be dismissed for 4. Shakib picks up the wicket. Sri Lanka all out for 124 as Bangladesh win by 137 runs. The going was always going to be tough for the Lankans under lights. The Lankan batsmen struggled and loss of wickets at regular intervals simply did not help their cause.Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim's incredible 144 led Bangladesh to a competitive first inning score of 261 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. At one point Bangladesh were 1/2 in the first over and ended up with 261 in 49.3 overs. For Sri Lanka, Lasith Malinga bagged four wickets. For his wonderful innings with the bat, Rahim was adjudged as the Man of the Match.
100 comes up for Sri Lanka! However, a victory is not in sight. Meanwhile, yet another catch is dropped.This time it is skipper Mortaza who grasses one off Aponso. SL - 101/8
BOWLED! A slow off-cutter from Mustafizur which leads Lakmal to play across the line. An inside edge and the ball crashes into the off and middle stump. Sri Lanka- 96/8
OUT! Thisara Perera is dismissed for 6 by Mehidy Hasan. Another false shot and the Lankans continue to sink further and further. Now it seems like it is a matter of time before the Tigers emerge victorious, Sri Lanka - 69/7
LBW! Angelo Mathews is out for 16. Rubel strikes in his very first over. He was brought in for a purpose and does the job for his skipper. Bangladesh sniff victory now. Sri Lanka- 63/6, 17.2 ovs
Run out! Dasun Shanaka goes for 7. Disastrous running between the wickets by the Islanders. The missed chance did not cost much for the Tigers. Angelo Mathews needs to shoulder the responsibility of the innings now. Thisara Perera joins him in the middle. Sri Lanka- 60/5
Dropped! Dasun Shanaka lofts one straight into the orbit and three Bangladesh fielders converge on it but make a total mess of it! Even the umpire is flabbergasted! Shocking fielding from the Tigers. Meanwhile, 50 comes up for Sri Lanka in the 12th over.
LBW! Kusal Perera is out for 11. Mehidy Hasan bowling round the wicket brings the ball into the batsman. Forward defence but the ball find the gap between bat-pad and wraps him in front. Sri Lanka in big trouble at 38/4
Maiden Over! Angelo Mathews is new to the crease and he plays off a maiden over to Mashrafe Mortaza. SL- 36/3, 7 ovs Sri Lanka still need 226 runs to win the match.
WICKET! Sri Lanka look in trouble as Mortaza dismisses Dhananjaya De Silva LBW for nought. For some reason, De Silva decided to take review. He is given out for duck.
OUT! Mortaza gets Tharanga out to send Sri Lankan openers back in the hut. This is the sixth time Mortaza has got Tharanga out in ODI cricket. Sri Lanka are 28/2 after 7 overs.
LBW! Fizz strikes first as K Mendis goes out for a duck. The umpire's original decision was not out but Fizz opts for review. Good decision by Bangladesh! Sri Lanka are 22/1.
Bangladesh have managed to score 261 runs against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2018 opener. Sri Lanka openers Tharanga and Kusal Mendis at the crease. Mortaza at the attack.
OUT! Mushfiqur Rahim is the last man to be dismissed for 144 (150). Bangladesh are all out for 261. (49.3 ovs) An incredible inning by Rahim which has given the Tigers something to fight with. 261 is a par score on this pitch. They have come back really well in the match. Remember at one point they were 1/2. Can Sri Lanka get to the total? Wait for all the action.
SIX! SIX! First one over the extra cover region and then another over square-leg. Mushfiqur Rahim is on fire. He has socred 144 already. It is also his highest ODI score. BAN-261/9
Tamim Iqbal has come out to bat. He is batting with just one arm. Incredible! Mushfiqur Rahim acknowledges the bravado and goes on to hit 14 runs off the over, including two fours and one six. BAN- 244/9, 4 ovs
100 for Mushfiqur Rahim. His sixth in ODI cricket. A fighting knock by the veteran middle-order batsmen. BAN- 209/8.
Lowest score from which a number 4 batsmen scored 100 in ODIs:
0/2 C Hooper 100* v Eng, Sharjah, 1997
1/2 M Jayawardene 116 v NZ, Sharjah, 2001
1/2 H Gibbs 118 v Eng, Durban, 2005
1/2 R Sarwan 100* v Ire, Kingston, 2010
1/2 M RAHIM 101* v SL, Dubai, 2018
LBW! Rubel Hossain is gone for 2. A successful DRS review by Dhananjaya de Silva earns him his second wicket. BAN- 203/8 42.4 ovs
OUT! Mashrafe Mortaza goes for the big hit but fails to connect. He is out for 11. Dhananjaya de Silva picks up his first wicket. BAN- 195/7, 39 ovs
Caught&Bowled! Mehidy Hasan is out for 15. Lakmal picks up the wicket. Not often do you see a pace bowler dive down and take such a low catch of his own bowling. Even umpire Marais Erasmus is impressed. BAN- 175/6, 33.4 ovs
Bad news for Bangladesh right at the start of the tournament. Opener Tamim Iqbal has been ruled out of Asia Cup after fracturing his left wrist. The incident happened in the first over of this match,
FOUR! Rahim sweeps one to the cow corner! Tossed up on middle, and he swings across the line. Goes into the boundary after a couple of bounces. Rahim is on to 75. BAN- 158/5, 31 ovs
OUT! Fourth wicket for Malinga. He is on fire! Mosaddek Hossain is out for 1. Poor application from the Bangladeshi batsmen and they are falling apart like nine pins. BAN- 142/5, 28 ovs
GONE! Two in quick succession for Sri Lanka. Mahmudullah is out for 1. Poor shot by the batsmen as he goes for the slow sweep but mistimes it and the ball is straight into the hands of the fielder. BAN- 136/4, 26.2 ovs
OUT! Malinga is brought back into the attack and he strikes immediately. Just what we were telling you. Skipper Lasith Malinga is delighted. A straightish delivery which bounced and got the top edge and went straight up into the air. Keeper calls for it and this time takes it safely. Mohammad Mithun is gone for 63. BAN- 134/3, 25.3 ovs
Malinga back into the attack! No success from the spinners or Lakmal has forced the captain to go back to slinga. Interesting period of play coming up. BAN-134/2, 25.1 ovs
Fifty! Fine half-century for Mushfiqur Rahim. Only three fours in his knock but he gets there at a strike rate of 75. Meanwhile, This is now the highest third-wicket stand for the Tigers after being two-down for under 10 runs. BAN- 112/2, 21.5 ovs
100 up for Bangladesh! While the first 50 took 89 balls the next fifty came in just 39 balls. Meanwhile, Mohammad Mithun has also reached his half-century. Could not have come at a better time than this! It's his maiden ODI fifty. BAN- 100/2, 19.3 ovs
Spin is not working for the Lankans and Lakmal is back into the attack. In 5 overs the spinners have leaked 45 runs. Things not going according to plan for the Islanders. Meanwhile a DIRECT HIT! It could have been tight. But the batsmen is safe. Bangladesh motor along to 84/2 in 18 ovs
6,4,4 and an expensive first over by Dilruwan Perera comes to an end. BAN 67/2, 15 ovs. 16 came off the last 3 balls and Mithun is really turning it on here.
Reverse Sweep! And a boundary. Mohammad Mithun is breaking the shackles as Bangladesh reach 50. Mohammad Mithun (24) and Mushfiqur Rahim (21), are at the crease. BAN- 53/2, 14 ovs
SIX! First maximum of the innings comes from the bat of Mohammad Mithun. Fullish delivery by Amila Aponso and Mithun dances down the track and whacks it over the long-off region for a big hit. Bangladesh are on the move. BAN-36/2, 11 ovs
Dropped Again! Rahim chips it square-leg and this time the culprit is Dilruwan Perera. Really sloppy work from the Lankans after a good start. Two dropped catches will not help their cause. BAN-24/2, 10 ovs
After 8 overs, Bangladesh are 21/2. And for the first time spin has been introduced in the attack in the form of left-arm spinner Amila Aponso. On such a dry looking surface in Dubai spin is expected to play a big part. Amila ends his first over conceding just two runs.
Dropped! Malinga could have had another wicket right there. Mohammad Mithun tried to flick one on the leg side but ended up chipping one straight to mid-on. Mathews running in, dives forward but fails to latch on. BAN 7/2, 4.5 ovs
HAT-TRICK BALL FOR MALINGA! Mushfiqur Rahim is on strike. Nope, nothing on it. Another lethal delivery from him but Rahim pushed his bat in front.
Meanwhile, Tamim Iqbal has walked back to the pavilion after getting his hand injured. Mohammad Mithun has come to the ring.
WICKET! AND ANOTHER ONE! YORKER DELIVERY FROM MALINGA AND SHAKIB AL HASAN IS GONE FIRST BALL! CLEAN BOWLED! Bangladesh in big trouble early on. BAN 1/2
GONE! Lasith Malinga strikes in the first over! What a return for the bowler. Bowls full length delivery and Liton Das gets a big edge. The ball lands straight into Kusal Mendis hands at the slips. BAN 1/1
HERE WE GO! Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das come out to bat for Sri Lanka. And it is the returning Lasith Maling who starts the proceedings with the new ball for Sri Lanka.
Players come out on the field - and it is time for the National Anthem. First. we start with Sri Lanka off with Sri Lanka's National Anthem. And then there will be Bangladesh's National Anthem.
Bangladesh XI: Tamim, Liton, Shakib, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur, Mithun, Mosaddek, Mehidy, Rubel, Mustafizur
Sri Lanka XI: Tharanga, Dhananjaya, K Perera, K Mendis, Thisara, Shanaka, Malinga, Lakmal, Aponso, Dilruwan
Captains speak:
Mashrafe Mortaza, Bangladesh Captain: Looks like a good wicket to bat on. Later on the bowlers should get some help from the wicket. There should be a bit of turn later on, so we think it's better to bat first and get a good total. The guys are in form, especially Tamim and the bowlers.
Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka captain: I was going to have a bat first, looks like a belter. There will be some dew, but you can't control these things. Malinga coming back is great for us. You can always hand the ball to him at crunch moments. The heat is terrible, but you can't think of these things.
Bangladesh win toss, elect to bat first against Sri Lanka.
Ramiz Raja on Pitch Report: There is excruciatingly heat in Dubai. There will be dew in the second innings and hence the team winning the toss will likely to elect to bat first. There is no grass and it seems like there is nothing in it for seamers. The spinners will have a dry spinners. Dream pitch for batsmen.
GAME ON!
The Asian Games 2018 is ready to begun and it will be Bangladesh who will renew their rivalry in the opening contest. Remember, the two teams last faced each other in a T20 clash in the Nidahas Trophy match, which ended with ridiculous scenes. The then, Bangladesh captain, Shakib Al-Hasan threatened to pull off after a brawl broke out between players. Later, the glass door of the Bangladesh dressing room were found smashed into pieces. Plenty of drama. Will tensions brew again in Dubai? Well, despite the heat, the fans will not mind things to get heat up more once again between the two teams - in case it leads to an exciting contest.