In a thrilling warm-up fixture ahead of the highly anticipated ODI World Cup, Bangladesh showcased their prowess with a dominant performance against Sri Lanka. The Bangladeshi team, led by impressive performances from Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, secured a comfortable seven-wicket victory at Guwahati on Friday.
The match was not without its moments of concern, especially for Sri Lanka, as their opening batsman Kusal Perera was forced to retire hurt due to a shoulder strain. However, Bangladesh's solid display with both bat and ball stole the show.
Tanzid Hasan, who made his debut during the Asia Cup in August and has played just five ODIs thus far, emerged as a star for Bangladesh. His flamboyant innings of 84 runs off 88 balls, featuring ten boundaries and two towering sixes, put the Sri Lankan bowlers on the back foot. Tanzid's brilliant partnership of 131 runs alongside Litton Das (61 runs) provided the perfect foundation for Bangladesh to chase down Sri Lanka's total of 263 runs.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who donned the captain's hat for the game, continued the momentum set by the openers with an unbeaten 67 runs. His performance was not limited to batting; Mehidy also delivered an economical spell of bowling, conceding just 32 runs in his ten overs and taking a crucial wicket.
Sri Lanka, after opting to bat first, began strongly with Pathum Nissanka forming a formidable partnership with Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis, amassing a collective 104 runs. Nissanka was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, playing an aggressive innings of 68 runs. Dhananjaya de Silva also contributed with a half-century, scoring 55 runs at No. 6. However, Sri Lanka's middle-order struggled to gain momentum, with offspinner Mahedi Hasan being the tormentor-in-chief, picking up three wickets for just 36 runs in his nine overs. Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz all played their part, chipping in with a wicket each to bundle Sri Lanka out in the final over.
With this impressive warm-up win, Bangladesh has sent a clear message to their competitors in the ODI World Cup. Their next challenge awaits as they face England in their upcoming warm-up clash on Monday. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will look to regroup and make amends when they take on Afghanistan in their next warm-up match on Tuesday. Both encounters will be held at the same venue, promising more exciting cricket action in the days to come.
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