Tigers seal first-ever series victory over the Lankan Lions

Mushfiqur Rahim's 8th ODI century and a clinical bowling performance spearheaded by Mustafizur Rahman and Mehidy Hasan Miraz helped Bangladesh win their first-ever ODI series against Sri Lanka. Bangladesh beat the visitors by 103 runs under the D/L method in the second ODI of the three-match series and secured top position in the ODI Super League points table. 

Batting first, Bangladesh posted 246 which was just about par at the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. In reply, Sri Lanka lost their captain Kusal Perera in the 6th over.

Debutant left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam accounted for his dismissal.

Just when it looked like Sri Lanka were in control, Mustafizur Rahman got the better of Danushka Gunathilaka in the 14th over. Like the previous match, a lack of substantial partnerships led to Sri Lanka's downfall. All the batters in the top seven reached double figures but none could cross 25. 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz carried his form from the previous match and gave nothing away. He was too difficult for the Sri Lanka batters to handle. The off-spinner picked up three wickets conceding only 28 runs off 10 overs. Mustafizur Rahman bowled exceedingly well too, bagging three scalps for only 16 runs. 

Shakib Al Hasan was among the wickets too. After getting Pathum Nissanka out, he trapped Dhananjaya de Silva leg before with a deceptive arm ball.

Shakib equalled Mashrafe Mortaza's tally of 269 ODI wickets for Bangladesh and needs only one wicket to eclipse him. 

Rain interrupted play at the end of the 38th over and Sri Lanka were given a revised target of 245 from 40 overs. That meant the visitors required an improbable 119 off two overs. Isuru Udana hit a couple of lusty blows and Sri Lanka managed 141 for the loss of nine wickets. 

Earlier, Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal won the toss and decided to bat.

The start couldn't have been better as Bangladesh picked up 15 runs off the very first over of the match. Tamim Iqbal was looking highly confident after smashing three cracking boundaries in the first over. But Sri Lanka pacer Dushmantha Chameera had other ideas. He beat Tamim with an inswinger and the ball hit the left-hander's pad. Tamim was initially given not out but Sri Lanka made good use of DRS. Shakib Al Hasan, who came in at three, had no answers to Chameera's inswinger as well and got out leg-before in the same over.

All of a sudden, Bangladesh lost two of their most prolific batters in no time. 

Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim tried to rebuild the innings after the dismissal of Tamim and Shakib. Liton struggled to get going and threw his wicket away in the 12th over off a short delivery from left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan. Liton scored 25 off 42. 

Mushfiqur Rahim, like the previous match, stitched a significant partnership with Mahmudullah for the fifth wicket. They added 87 off 17.5 overs before the latter was caught behind while trying to play a paddle sweep. Mahmudullah played decently and gave Mushfiqur good company before getting out in the 34th over. The right-hander scored 41 off 58 with the help of a four and two sixes.

But Mushfiqur Rahim, after reaching fifty off 70 balls, scored runs at a quicker rate. He took only 44 deliveries to score the second fifty. This was his first hundred in five and a half years at home. 

Mushfiqur hit a few boundaries after the hundred but ran out of partners. He had no option but to hit boundaries and eventually got out trying to clear the infield. Mushfiqur ended with a magnificent 125 off 127. He struck 10 fours. Bangladesh were all-out for 246 with two overs still left.

Chameera and Sandakan picked up three wickets each for Sri Lanka while Isuru Udana bagged a couple. Hasaranga chipped in with the wicket of Miraz.

The two teams will lock horns in the third and final ODI on Friday at the same venue.