June 18, 2010 @ 10:38 pm

Tillakaratne Dilshan starred with bat and ball as Sri Lanka trounced Bangladesh by 126 runs on Friday to virtually book their place in the Asia Cup final.

Dilshan smashed 71 off 51 balls and claimed three wickets as the defending champions piled up a commanding 312-4 in their 50 overs and then shot out Bangladesh for 186.

It was Sri Lanka’s second win in a row after the 16-run defeat of Pakistan in their opening match and helped them step closer to becoming the first team to take a berth in the June 24 final.

Bangladesh, who had lost to India on Wednesday, are virtually out of contention in the four-nation tournament.

Sri Lanka put on a dazzling batting performance to record the highest total ever at the Rangiri international stadium in Dambulla.

Dilshan and Upul Tharanga set the ball rolling with an opening stand of 111 by the 16th over after Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat in the day-night match.

Tharanga (54) and Sangakkara (52) hit half-centuries to build on Dilshan’s aggressive knock which included 11 boundaries and a six.

Mahela Jayawardene chipped in with 43 during a third-wicket stand of 69 with Sangakkara.

Angelo Mathews (42 not out) and Chamara Kapugedera (37 not out) hammered 73 runs in the last 10 overs to set Bangladesh a tough target of six runs an over under lights.

Bangladesh found the task beyond their reach despite a typically aggressive 51 off 53 balls by left-handed opener Tamim Iqbal.

Tamim put on 57 for the second wicket with Junaid Siddique (38) after opening partner Imrul Kayes was caught in the slips off Nuwan Kulasekera for three.

Bangladesh, who were 77-1 at one stage, lost five wickets for 66 runs as Dilshan and Muttiah Muralitharan sliced through the middle order.

Dilshan, bowling off-spin, sealed Bangladesh’s fate in the space of nine deliveries when he had Tamim stumped by Sangakkara and then trapped Mohammad Ashraful leg-before.

Dilshan also removed Mushfiqur Rahim, while Muralitharan dismissed Junaid Siddique and skipper Shakib Al Hasan at the other end.
- DAMBULLA, June 18, 2010 (AFP)

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka:
U. Tharanga c Rahim b Mahmudullah 54
T. Dilshan c and b Shakib 71
K. Sangakkara c Shakib b Shafiul 52
M. Jayawardene c Shakib b Shafiul 43
A. Mathews not out 42
C. Kapugedera not out 37
Extras : (b2, lb3, w8) 13
Total (for four wickets, 50 overs) 312

Did not bat:

Thilan Samaraweera, Chanaka Welegedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Fall of wickets:

1-111 (Dilshan), 2-155 (Tharanga), 3-224 (Jayawardene), 4-239 (Sangakkara).

Bowling:

Mortaza 8-0-70-0, Rasel 8-0-61-0 (w1), Shafiul 10-0-59-2 (w4), Shakib 10-0-49-1 (w1), Ashraful 4-0-19-0, Naeem 3-0-21-0 (w1), Mahmudullah 7-0-28-1 (w1).

Bangladesh:

Tamim Iqbal st Sangakkara b Dilshan 51
Imrul Kayes c Jayawardene b Kulasekera 3
Junaid Siddique c Kulasekera b Muralitharan 38
Mohammad Ashraful lbw b Dilshan 9
Shakib Al Hasan b Muralitharan 20
Mushfiqur Rahim st Sangakkara b Dilshan 6
Mohammad Mahmudullah c Sangakkara b Welegedara 9
Naeem Islam lbw b Malinga 15
Mashrafe Mortaza c Sangakkara b Welegedara 15
Shafiul Islam b Malinga 2
Syed Rasel not out 0
Extras : (b1, lb5, w11, nb1) 18
Total (all out, 40.2 overs) 186

Fall of wickets:

1-20 (Kayes), 2-77 (Siddique), 3-104 (Tamim), 4-110 (Ashraful), 5-126 (Rahim), 6-143 (Shakib), 7-167 (Mahmudullah), 8-168 (Naeem), 9-186 (Mortaza), 10-186 (Shafiul).

Bowling:

Kulasekera 6-0-39-1 (w2), Malinga 8.2-0-35-2 (w3), Dilshan 10-0-37-3 (w3), Muralitharan 8-0-38-2, Welegedara 8-2-31-2 (w3, nb1)

Sri Lanka won by 126 runs