Mushfiqur Rahim's incomparable and career-best century in batting and the controlled bowling of the bowlers beat Sri Lanka by a big margin of 137 runs and Bangladesh got off to a good start in the Asia Cup.
The difference between the start and end of Sri Lanka's batting is stark. The two Lankan openers Tharanga and Mendis were indicating bad things for the Bangladeshi bowlers by picking up 22 runs in 1.5 overs of the innings. But left-handed pacer Mostafizur Rahman did not let them go too far.
'The Fizz' trapped Kushal Mendis on the last ball of his first over. But when the umpire rejected the Tigers' request, Tiger captain Mashrafe took the review. The replay shows that the ball hit the middle of the stumps. As a result, Bangladesh won the review.
Coming to bowl in the third over of the innings, Mashrafe bowled another Lankan opener, Upul Tharanga. Tharanga was defeated by the swing of the ball when the wicket tried to send the ball straight to third man. Sri Lanka lost their second wicket after collecting 28 runs on the score board.
Then Mashrafe put the Lankans under more pressure. The Tiger captain trapped Dhananjaya de Silva leg before in his third and fifth over of the innings. Although the umpire gave out, Sri Lanka also took a review. After watching the replay, the umpire stuck to his decision. Sri Lanka lost 3 wickets in 32 runs from 22 runs for 1 wicket.
Mashrafe brought on spinner Mehdi Hasan Miraj in the eighth over to turn the Lankan innings into rubble. Miraj, who had spent just 1 run in his first over, picked up the wicket of Kushal Perera in the second ball of his second over. Perera was defeated while defending the straight ball, the ball landed on his pads. Responding to the appeal of the Tigers, the umpire signaled Perera out.
Sri Lanka's fifth wicket fell on a run out. Miraj came to bowl in the 17th over. Captain Mathews sent back Lankan Asa Shanaka who ran to the middle of the crease for a run when the ball hit the bat of batsman Mathews on the first ball. But then Shakib Al Hasan picked up the ball from the mid-wicket and threw it strongly. Bowler Mirage broke the stamp of the non-striking end as soon as the ball reached his hands.
In the 18th over of the innings, Tiger captain Mashrafe gave the ball to pacer Rubel Hossain. Rubel rewarded the captain's confidence by trapping the Lankan captain Angelo Mathews in the leg before the second ball of the over.
Sri Lanka lost their seventh wicket when Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera was caught by Mirage.
Mustafiz bowled the Lankan tail-ender batsman Suranga Lakmal with a great length ball in the second ball of the 26th over of the innings. This is his second wicket in the innings.
Two spinners Mosaddek Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan turned the tail of the Lankan batting order by picking up the last two wickets. Sri Lanka was defeated by a huge margin of 137 runs after losing all the wickets to score 124 runs.
Captain Mashrafe picked up 2 wickets at the cost of 25 runs with 2 maidens in 6 overs. Mostafiz got 2 wickets at the cost of 20 runs in 6 overs. Spinner Mirage spent 21 runs in 7 overs and got 2 wickets and 1 wicket for Shakib, Rubel and Mosaddek.
With this victory, Bangladesh started their mission by winning the Asia Cup.
But the real hero of the match was Tiger wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiq. Mushfiqur Rahim fought alone in the rubble. He did not bat great even under pressure. Bangladesh's innings stopped at 261 runs after losing all wickets in the opening match of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka.
On this day, Mushfiq got out with a career-best 144 after picking up the sixth century of his ODI career. His previous best was his innings of 117 against India at Fatulla in 2014.
Earlier, Bangladesh entered the field against Sri Lanka in the opening match of the 14th edition of the Asia Cup. Where Tiger captain Mashrafe Bin Mortuza won the toss and decided to bat against the Lankans. The two teams entered the field at 5:30 PM Bangladesh time at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Bangladesh had a bad start. The team lost two wickets in the first over. Kushal Mendis was caught at slip by Lasith Malinga's fifth ball and Liton Dash returned for no runs. The experienced Lankan pacer completely bowled Shakib Al Hasan who came to the wicket with the next ball.
Tamim Iqbal was hit on the left wrist by the last ball of the second over bowled by Suranga Lakmal. He already has an old injury on his right ring finger. Later, this opener left the field as a retired heart.
Mohammad Mithun scored his first half-century in the team's 20th over in the fourth ODI match of his career. He scored fifty in 52 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. Right-handed batsman Malinga left the field as the third victim. While picking up the third ball of the 26th over, he was caught in the palms of wicketkeeper Perera. Mithun scored 63 off 68 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes. He scored 131 runs with Mushfiqur Rahim in the third wicket partnership.
In the third ball of the 27th over, the new batsman Mahmudullah returned as a victim of the Lankan spinner Amila Aponso. He was caught by Dhananjaya de Silver for a personal run. Malinga celebrated his fourth wicket with Mosaddek Hossain off the last ball of the next over. One run Mosaddek caught Perra behind the wicket.
Mehdi Hasan Miraj, who was batting well with Mushfiqur, returned in the 34th over. This all-rounder who scored 15 runs was a victim of Suranga Lakmal's cut and ball.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe departed after playing an innings of 11 runs off 18 balls. De Silva dismissed him in the last ball of 39 overs. Later, Rubel Hossain returned with 2 runs after De Silva's hunt.
Bangladesh crossed the 200 runs mark in the 41st over. Later, Mushfiqur Rahim got his sixth century of his ODI career. He made this feat in 188 matches and 173 innings. Mushfiqur touched the century with 7 fours and a six off 123 balls.
Mostafizur Rahman, who scored 10 runs in the 47th over, was run out. However, when Bangladesh lost the ninth wicket after Mustafiz's departure, the opener Tamim, who had already been kicked out of the Asia Cup, surprised everyone and entered the field. This star, who was injured at the beginning of the innings, went to the hospital. Later, he came down to the field with his injured hand and faced a ball with one hand.
After Tamim came to the field, Mushfiqur started to storm even though he could not add any more runs (2) to his collection. In the end, he made 144 off 150 balls with 11 fours and 4 huge sixes as Thisara Perera departed. Bangladesh's innings ended in 49.3 overs.
Among the Sri Lankan bowlers, Malinga picked up 4 wickets after more than a year. On this day, he became the top wicket-taker in the Asia Cup, overtaking fellow countryman Muttiah Muralitharan (32). De Silva took two wickets.
Mushfiqur Rahim became the man of the match with a great century.
