Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis (left) and Sachithra Senanayake celebrate the dismissal of Bangladesh’s Anamul Haque during their Asia Cup 2014 one-day international (ODI) cricket match in Dhaka yesterday.
DHAKA: Captain Angelo Mathews’ mature innings of 74 from 103 balls helped Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by three wickets in the last league game of the Asia Cup, after Bangladesh reduced them to 75/5 at one stage while Sri Lanka were chasing an easy target of 205.
Chasing 205, Sri Lanka made a disastrous start losing three wickets for only eight runs as Bangladeshi pace bowler Al-Amin Hossain dismissed opener Kusal Perera for naught and experienced batsman Kumar Sangakkara for two while veteran batsman Mahela Jayawardene was run out for naught.
However, Lahiru Thirimanne and Ashan Priyanjan made some recovery, adding 39 runs for the fourth wicket before the latter departed for 24.
Later, Thirimanne also made exit for 33 at the score of 75.
Then, captain Mathews and Chaturanga de Silva came to take the challenge and made 82 valuable runs for the sixth wicket partnership taking Sri Lanka to 157-6 when De Silva was out for 44.
Now Sri Lanka needed 48 runs in 10 overs which they achieved for the loss of Thisara Perera (15), with one over left.
Mathews who led Sri Lanka from the front, remained not out on 74.
He hit seven fours and a six in his 103-ball innings.
Meanwhile, Australia have withdrawn fast bowler Mitchell Johnson from their Twenty20 squad in South Africa and sent him home to rest before the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, Cricket Australia said yesterday.
Johnson left Cape Town just 24 hours after making a major contribution to the Test series win over hosts South Africa and will miss the three T20 matches against the Proteas starting on Sunday.
All-rounder Moises Henriques will stay on in South Africa as his replacement.
“Mitch has had a very long summer and we think he will benefit from returning home for a few days of rest with his family where he can freshen up,” Australia coach Darren Lehmann said in a statement released in Cape Town yesterday.
“He will link back up with the squad in Bangladesh.”
Australia’s first match of the World Twenty20 is against Pakistan in Dhaka on March 23. Pakistan are in Bangladesh for the Asia Cup. AGENCIES
