Saif and Hridoy star as clinical Bangladesh down hapless Lanka

Saif Hassan and Towhid Hridoy smacked brilliant fifties as Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka in their Super Four match of the Asia Cup by four wickets.

Mustafizur Rahman took three and Mahedi Hassan two as Bangladesh restricted Lanka to 168/7 and chased down the target for the loss of six wickets with one ball to spare.

Bangladesh’s wobbling start was overshadowed by a blitzkrieg 59-run stand between Saif and captain Litton Das.

After Thusara, who took a four-wicket haul against Afghanistan, rattled the stumps of Tanzid for a duck to put Bangladesh on the back foot, Saif took the charge in his hands to lead the charge.

He, along with Das, set the tone for a successful chase. He changed the gears in the third over and took 14 runs off Thusara with the help of a six and a four.

After that there was no looking back as the Bangladeshi pair hammered all the bowlers alike. After collecting 10 in the next over off Wellalage, Saif again plundered 15 off Thusara’s next over, forcing the Lanka captain to make a bowling change.

Both the batsmen not only kept the Lankan bowlers at bay but also dominated the match for the next five overs as Bangladesh reached 50 in 5.2 overs.

Hasaranga broke the partnership to bring a temporary respite to their camp. Lanka was oblivious of the storm that was going to blow them away.

Saif and Hridoy added a quick-fire 54 runs for the third wicket to take the match as deep as possible. Saif raced to his fifty in just 36 balls, hitting a boundary and four towering sixes.

Hasaranga again came to the rescue and got rid of the Bangladeshi opener to make it 114/3. Bangladesh still needed 54 runs in 36 balls, and the onus of taking them through came on Hridoy.

He stepped up to lead the chase. Hridoy and Shamim plundered runs on their will as Lanka started losing hope, which was evident in their body language.

Hridoy also reached his fifty in 31 balls with a single. They brought the equation down to 11 needed off 11 when Hridoy was trapped by Chameera. But the damage was done. Hridoy smashed a 37-ball 58 with the help of four hits to the fence and two over it. Shamim and Nasum Ahmed completed the formalities after a bit of drama in the last over.

Earlier, Nissanka, who had scored two consecutive fifties in the first two matches against Bangladesh and Hong Kong, could not carry the same momentum but shared a tone-setting opening partnership of 44 runs in four overs with Kusal Mendis.

Both the openers gave a fiery start before Taskin sent Nissanka back to break the dangerous-looking partnership.

Bangladesh played with three pacers — Mustafizur, Taskin and Shoriful — on a spin-friendly turf. Mustafizur bowled exceptionally well as he picked up three wickets for 20 runs. Their spinners — Mahedi Hasan and Nasum Ahmed — kept it very tight as they choked the flow of runs in the middle overs.

Mahedi led the spin attack as he picked up two wickets in quick succession to push Lanka on the back foot briefly.He conceded only 25 off his four overs, picking up the important wickets of Kusal Mendis and Kamil Misarah, who was the man of the match in their last encounter.

After losing three wickets within a space of 21 runs, Lanka were treading cautiously, but Mustafizur gave them another blow and picked up his first wicket, getting rid of Kusal Perera.

Shanaka and Charith Asalanka added a very vital 57 runs for the fifth wicket in just 5.3 overs as Lanka looked set to go past the score of 180.

Both the batsmen rode some luck as well as a sloppy Bangladesh seemed to have come up with butterfingers, dropping some important catches, which cost them dear.

Hridoy dropped Asalanka on 19 off Shoriful in the 18th over, after Shamim had dropped Shanaka on 38 in the previous over off Mustafizur.

Shanaka capitalised on the chance and started cutting loose as he reached his fifty off 30 deliveries with two consecutive sixes off Shoriful.

Mustafizur pulled it back in the penultimate over of the innings as he accounted for two dismissals, conceding just five after Hridoy sent back Asalanka.

Asalanka was put down by Hridoy again on the first delivery of the 19th over but a misfield led to confusion, and the Lankan batter was found short of his crease as a straight throw by Hridoy did the trick despite the batsman diving to make the ground.

After the departure of Asalanka, Mustafizur had Kamindu Mendis caught by Das and Hasaranga holed out to Tanzid as the Bangladesh pace spearhead finished with 3/20. Shanaka carried on the slog from the other end as he remained unbeaten on 64. His innings was studded with three fours and six sixes.