By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka was bundled out by Bangladesh for 94 runs in a 84-run humiliation on a batting friendly surface I’meating humble pie before a disappointed capacity home crowd at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium decimated by a rehashed pace-spin bowling attack led by right arm leg spinner Rishad Hossain a 3 for 18 haul and upfront quicks Shoriful Islam 2 for 12 and Mohammad Saifuddin 2 for 21 in driving home skipper Litton Das’ cameo 76 and a whirlwind 48 off 27 by Shamin Hossain that dragged the visitors from the dumps of 4 for 78 to drawing even to setting up the 3-match series for a now or never showdown in the decider in Colombo on Wednesday.
While Sri Lanka’s cave in from the rollicking performance at Pallekelle in the opener brought back Bangladesh into contention, the failure of the hosts in a hugely contrasting decline to being taken apart left question marks by the manner the batting crumbled and their failure against leg spin to as much the host bowlers letting Bangladesh off the hook when Das’ 50 ball knock that blasted the Lankan attack for 5 sixes and Shamin Hossain 5 boundaries and 2 sixes, rampaged all and sundry leaving Charith Asalanka and his team in tatters.
That the Lankan batsmen were sitting ducks at Dambulla was indeed a pathetic fallback from a high with the likes of Kusal Janith Perera 0, Fernando 2, skipper Asalanka 5, Chamika Karunaratne 0 in that mess.
The man in form Kusal Mendis getting run out was costly for Sri Lanka in that chase, but it raised the question as to most of the rest bar the skipper snd Psthum Nissanka who scored 32, being dependant on one particular batsman to carry the side through is destructive to the team cause.
SHANAKA BETTER AS AN OPENER
Former captain Dasun Shanaka 20 at No 6 on recall after a long absence was understandable, and his presence does also raise the question the pinch hitter could be put to better use opening the batting in giving the side a head start as he did underline in a domestic game with a big hundred. Something for head coach Sanath Jayasuriya and the Lankan think tank to ponder to once again creating the Master Blaster new dimension hitting over the top clout by which Jayasuriya changed cricket on its head.
Bangladesh 177 for 7 (Litton 76, Shamim 48, Binura 3-31) beat Sri Lanka 94 (Nissanka 32, Rishad 3-18, Shoriful 2-12) by 83 runs.
