Bangladesh broke a 6-match losing streak to clinch their maiden victory against Sri Lanka in a World Cup game, winning a game featuring high drama and emotions at Delhi`s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday by 3 wickets.
They demonstrated remarkable composure, successfully chasing down a challenging target of 280 with three wickets in hand and 53 balls to spare.
Before this match, Bangladesh faced Sri Lanka in four World Cups but failed to win any of those games. However the win is unlikely to gloss over the disappointment the fans feel over the Tigers` dismal campaign not opening a slot for Bangladesh in the next phase of the World Cup.
Opting to field after winning the toss, Bangladesh made an early breakthrough. Shoriful Islam dismissed Kusal Perera for a mere 4 runs, with Mushfiqur`s exceptional catch behind the wicket.
However, Sri Lanka`s Charith Asalanka emerged as the linchpin of their innings, crafting a spectacular century from 105 balls. His innings was punctuated by six boundaries and five towering sixes.
An additional highlight of the match was Angelo Mathews` dismissal. Umpires declared him `Timed Out` after he took over two minutes to prepare to face the first ball. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan challenged the delay, as Mathews struggled with a malfunctioning helmet strap. By the time Mathews was ready, two crucial minutes had slipped away. This historic incident marked the first `Timed Out` dismissal in international cricket.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib shone for Bangladesh, securing three crucial wickets, while Shoriful Islam and Shakib Al Hasan claimed two wickets each.
During their pursuit of the target, Bangladesh faced initial setbacks, losing Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das in quick succession. However, a determined partnership between Najmul Hossain Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan shifted the momentum in Bangladesh`s favor. Shanto`s resilient 90 off 101 balls and Shakib Al Hasan`s dynamic 82 off 65 balls proved pivotal.
Despite a late surge from Sri Lanka`s bowlers, Bangladesh held their nerve, with Towhid Hridoy providing the finishing touches with an unbeaten 15 off 7 balls.
Dilshan Madushanka stood out for Sri Lanka, claiming three wickets, while Maheesh Theekshana and Angelo Mathews secured two wickets each.
In the next and their last match of this World Cup, Bangladesh will take on Australia on November 11, while Sri Lanka will face New Zealand on November 9.
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