Tigers fall short despite Mash heroics

Bangladesh fell agonisingly short of a unlikely win in their practice match against the Sri Lanka Board President's XI, losing by two runs at the Colombo Cricket Club Ground.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza came in with Bangladesh needing 105 runs with just three wickets remaining, but his blistering half-century, which featured four fours and four sixes brought the visitors back into the game.

At the other end, Mahmudullah Riyad held down the innings as he had been doing for so long, but with 12 runs needed off the last over, he failed to live up to his 'finisher' tag. 

Mosaddek Hossain, who had hit a 50-ball 53, batted wonderfully for the second innings in a row, but his departure in the 35th over led to a mini-collapse in Bangladesh's lower order, with Shuvagata Hom and Sunzamul Islam both gone by the 39th over as Bangladesh reached 252 for 7 in reply to Sri Lanka Board President's XI's total of 354.

Mosaddek hit two sixes and four fours. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim had earlier failed to make an impact, scoring just 20 and leaving Bangladesh at 152 for four at the time of his dismissal.

Bangladesh lost their third wicket when Sabbir Rahman was sent back after scoring a scintillating 72 during the one-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Board President's XI at Colombo Cricket Club Ground today.

Sabbir scored 72 from 63 balls, and his knock contained 11 fours and a massive six. With Soumya Sarkar at his side, Sabbir took control of the game and asserted himself on the Sri Lankan bowlers quite comfortably today.

Last bat Sabbir Rahman c NLTC Perera b PC de Silva 72 (63b 11x4 1x6) SR: 114.28

Fall of wicket 124/3 (18.3 ov); Partnership: 8 runs, 1.1 overs, RR: 6.85

The Somya-Sabbir stand was broken in the 18th over when Milinda Siriwardana dismissed Soumya for 47.

Last bat Soumya Sarkar c Shanaka b Siriwardana 47 (43b 5x4 2x6) SR: 109.30

Fall of wicket 116/2 (17.2 ov); Partnership: 116 runs, 17.1 overs, RR: 6.75

Earlier, Sabbir Rahman and Soumya Sarkar took Bangladesh to 44 for 1 after eight overs.

In their chase of 355, Bangladesh lost the wicket of Imrul Kayes early. He was dismissed first ball by Binura Fernando.

Earlier, Sri Lanka Board President's XI amassed 354 for 7 in 50 overs.

Fifties from Kusal Perera, Sandun Weerakkody and Dhananjaya de Silva and a cameo from Thisara Perara in the end enabled the hosts to reach the massive total. Kusal retired after scoring 64 from 78. Sandun made 67 from 54 balls while Thisara smashed 41 from 30.

For Bangladesh, Mashrafe Mortaza, Taskin Ahmed, Abul Hasan and Sunzamul Islam took a wicket each. Sunzamul captured 1-27 in six overs, while the pacers gave away too many runs for their liking today.

The sixth wicket stand between Thisara Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva took Sri Lanka Board President's XI past 300.

Sri Lanka Board President's XI reached 307 for 5 in 45 overs. The Thisara-Dhananjaya partnership stood at 57 runs in 7.1 overs.

Bangladesh got their fifth breakthrough when Abul Hasan dismissed Chaturanga de Silva for 28 in the 38th over.

Last bat PC de Silva b Abul Hasan 28 (25b 1x4 1x6) SR: 112.00

Fall of wicket 250/5 (37.5 ov); Partnership: 48 runs, 6.5 overs, RR: 7.02

Sunzamul Islam gave Bangladesh their fourth wicket when he sent back Milinda Siriwardana for 32 to leave Sri Lanka Board President's XI at 202 for 4 in 31 overs.

Last bat TAM Siriwardana c Nurul Hasan b Sunzamul Islam 32 (29b 3x4 1x6) SR: 110.34

Fall of wicket 202/4 (30.6 ov); Partnership: 14 runs, 2.0 overs, RR: 7.00

Kusal Perera retired after scoring 64 from 78 balls. His knock contained four boundaries.

Sandun Weerakkody smashed 67 from 54 balls, and his quick-fire innings was punctuated with eight fours and two sixes. The third wicket partnership for Sri Lanka Board President's XI produced 38 runs in 6.3 overs.

Earlier, Sri Lanka Board President's XI looked like heading towards a massive total as Kusal Perera and Milinda Siriwardana took the hosts to 173 for 2 in 27 overs.

Sandun Weerakkody was the second wicket to fall for the hosts, and the Sandun-Kural stand that extended the game quite quickly during the middle overs was stopped at 114.

Last bat DS Weerakkody c Rubel Hossain b ? 67 (54b 8x4 2x6) SR: 124.07

Fall of wicket 150/2 (22.3 ov); Partnership: 114 runs, 17.0 overs, RR: 6.70

Earlier, Sri Lanka Board President's XI counterattacked after the loss of the early wicket and raced past 100 in 15 overs.

Kusal Perera and Sandun Weerakkody took the attack to the Bangladesh bowlers and were especially severe on the pacers, with boundaries flowing all around the park.

Bangladesh got their first breakthrough in the in sixth over bowled by Taskin Ahmed

Last bat EMDY Munaweera lbw b Taskin Ahmed 24 (21b 3x4 1x6) SR: 114.28

Fall of wicket 36/1 (5.3 ov); Partnership: 36 runs, 5.3 overs, RR: 6.54

Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sri Lanka Board President's XI.

The Tigers are up against a strong line-up that includes international players like Janith Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka in the 50-over match. Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mustafizur Rahman and Subashis Roy will not play in the match.

The match will feature former Under-19 pace-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin and national pacer Abul Hasan, both of whom are in Sri Lanka only to gather experience from this practice game.

The Bangladesh team will travel to Dambulla tomorrow to play two day-nighters on March 25 and March 28 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, before coming back to Colombo to play the third ODI in a day match at the Sinhalese Sports Club on April 1.

Players per side 17 (11 batting, 11 fielding)

Umpires - JWHD Boteju and LE Hannibal

Match referee - M Jayasena

Reserve umpire - PN Udawatta