Sri Lanka win by 70 runs

Taskin Ahmed was the last Bangladesh batsman to fall, handing Sri Lanka a 70-run win in the third and final ODI, which sees the three-match series end in a 1-1 tie after the second game was washed out.

Taskin Ahmed c Gunaratne b Kulasekara 14 (27b 1x4 0x6) SR: 51.85

Bangladesh all-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz held off the Sri Lankan with a finely fashioned maiden half-century, but fell soon after reaching the landmark while attempting a heave. Mehedi hit four boundaries, but with Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman taking the field, Bangladesh's hopes of securing a win in the match and, consequently the series, seem all but over.

Mehedi Hasan Miraz c Tharanga b Kulasekara 51 (71b 6x4 0x6) SR: 71.83

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was the latest Bangladesh batsman to depart as the Tigers tumbled towards a defeat in the third and final ODI at the SSC in Colombo. Taskin Ahmed now joins Mehedi Hasan Miraz at the crease.

Mashrafe went after the bowler, but could not put much flight on the ball and Prasanna took a good catch. 

Mashrafe Mortaza c & b Prasanna 16 (23b 2x4 0x6) SR: 69.56

Mahmudullah Riyad, the last remaining pure batsman in the Bangladesh side, departs after failing to negotiate a Dinesh Chandimal bouncer. He went for the pull, but the ball brushed his gloves and went carried to the keeper.

Bangaldesh are now seven down and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is coming in to bat.

Last bat Mahmudullah c †Chandimal b Lakmal 7 (9b 1x4 0x6) SR: 77.77

Half-centurion Shakib Al Hasan departed and Bangladesh's slim hopes of ekeing out a result in the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo got even slimmer.

He drove the ball straight to Gunathilaka, who caught the ball after a bit of a fumble.

The Tigers will need to do extremely well from here on out as Mahmudllah Riyad remains the last pure batsman on the crease. Mehedi Hasan Miraz is at the other end, and this is his chance to showcase his batting credentials.

Last bat Shakib Al Hasan c Gunathilaka b MDK Perera 54 (62b 7x4 0x6) SR: 87.09

Mosaddek Hossain was the latest Bangladeshi batsman to fall as the Tigers stared down the barrel. Half-centurion Shakib Al Hasan is now joined at the crease by Mahmudullah Riyad with the Tigers needing 170 more runs in 27.5 overs.

Last bat Mosaddek Hossain b Prasanna 9 (20b 0x4 0x6) SR: 45.00

Bangladesh lost their fourth wicket when Soumya Sarkar was dismissed for 38 with the tourists in a spot of bother at 88 for 4 in 15.1 overs during the third and series-deciding ODI at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo today.

Soumya goes down the wicket, and gets stumped by a country mile…a body blow for Bangladesh in the context of the contest!

Drift and dip from Dilruwan Perera, the pitched outside off and went past the outside edge. Soumya’s momentum took him forward and he couldn’t back while the keeper completed the stumping.

Last bat Soumya Sarkar st †Chandimal b MDK Perera 38 (44b 3x4 1x6) SR: 86.36

Fall of wicket 88/4 (15.1 ov); Partnership: 77 runs, 11.4 overs, RR: 6.60 (Shakib Al Hasan 39, Soumya Sarkar 31)

Sri Lanka were in the ascendancy during Bangladesh’s chase when they sent back Mushfiqur Rahim for 0 to leave the tourists struggling at 11 for 3 after 3.3 overs.

Suranga Lakmal appeals, and the umpire raises his finger, another blow for Bangladesh as Mushfiqur falls.

The batter was struck on the back pad, and after the review was taken, ball tracking showed the ball would have clipped top of middle, and the umpire’s call stayed to the disappointment of Bangladesh fans.

Last bat Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Lakmal 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Fall of wicket 11/3 (3.3 ov); Partnership: 1 runs, 0.3 overs, RR: 2.00 (Mushfiqur Rahim 0, Soumya Sarkar 1)

Sabbir Rahman was the second wicket to fall for Bangladesh when he went after a wide delivery from Nuwan Kulasekara, got a thick edge to the keeper with the tourists at 10 for 2 after three overs.

Poor shot from Sabbir, and Bangladesh are on the back foot early.

The ball had width, Sabbir threw the kitchen sink without moving his feet and the thick edge was safely pouched by the keeper.

Last bat Sabbir Rahman c †Chandimal b Kulasekara 0 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Fall of wicket 10/2 (2.6 ov); Partnership: 6 runs, 2.0 overs, RR: 3.00 (Sabbir Rahman 0, Soumya Sarkar 6)

Bangladesh were rocked early in their chase of 281 when Tamim Iqbal was dismissed for 4 with the tourists at 4 for 1 after 1 over during the third and series-deciding ODI at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo today.

Tamim goes and shakes his head as he walks off…leading edge back to the bowler.

Kulasekara timed his jumped well and took the catch but lost the grip when he was trying to throw the ball up in joy.

Last bat Tamim Iqbal c & b Kulasekara 4 (6b 1x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

Fall of wicket 4/1 (0.6 ov); Partnership: 4 runs, 1.0 overs, RR: 4.00 (Tamim Iqbal 4, Soumya Sarkar 0)

The fourth ball Tamim faced, he slashed hard and the ball flew between keeper and first slip while both of them were looking at each other.

Earlier, Bangladesh managed to keep Sri Lanka down to 280 for 9 after 50 overs.

The 8th wicket stand of 45 in 4.3 overs between Thisara Perera and Dilruwan Perera gave Sri Lanka the boost late in their innings. Thisara upped the ante when his team needed quick runs and scored 52 from 40 balls. Kusal Mendis contributed with 54 from 76 balls. Danushka Gunathilaka, Upul Tharanga and Asela Gunaratne were dismissed in the 30s.

For Bangladesh, Mashrafe Mortaza took 3-65 in 10. Mustafizur Rahman picked up two wickets for 55 in 10 overs while Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed captured a wicket each.

Thisara Perera was the ninth wicket to fall, and he was dismissed by Mashrafe in the last over after a handy knock.

Last bat NLTC Perera c Taskin Ahmed b Mashrafe Mortaza 52 (40b 4x4 1x6) SR: 130.00

Fall of wicket 277/9 (49.5 ov); Partnership: 2 runs, 0.3 overs, RR: 4.00 (Kulasekara 1, NLTC Perera 1)

Dilruwan Perera was sent back for 15 by Mashrafe. Full delivery on off, Dilruwan went after it but could only mis-time a slog into the hands of Tamim at cover.

Last bat MDK Perera c Tamim Iqbal b Mashrafe Mortaza 15 (11b 2x4 0x6) SR: 136.36

Fall of wicket 275/8 (49.2 ov); Partnership: 45 runs, 4.3 overs, RR: 10.00 (MDK Perera 15, NLTC Perera 29)

Mustafizur Rahman gave Bangladesh their seventh wicket when he dismissed Seekuge Prasanna to leave the hosts at 230 for 7 after 44.5 overs.

Another offcutter outside off, Prasanna gave it all he had. The ball skewed off the outside half, lobbed in the air, and Mahmudullah took a good reverse-cupped catch at long-off. Sri Lanka continue to falter.

Last bat S Prasanna c Mahmudullah b Mustafizur Rahman 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

Fall of wicket 230/7 (44.5 ov); Partnership: 14 runs, 1.2 overs, RR: 10.50 (NLTC Perera 12, Prasanna 1)

Mashrafe Mortaza sent back Asela Gunaratne for 34 late in the innings with Sri Lanka at 216 for 6 after 43.3 overs.

So much pressure over the last few overs and Gunaratne throws his wicket away. Gets down towards the pitch and mis-times a slog into the hands of mid-on.

Last bat DAS Gunaratne c Mahmudullah b Mashrafe Mortaza 34 (44b 3x4 0x6) SR: 77.27

Fall of wicket 216/6 (43.3 ov); Partnership: 22 runs, 6.3 overs, RR: 3.38 (NLTC Perera 10, Gunaratne 12)

Mustafizur Rahman gave Bangladesh their fifth wicket when he sent back Kusal Mendis for 54 to leave Sri Lanka at 194 for 5 after 37 overs.

Mustafizur comes back, and gets the breakthrough…Kusal falls after reaching fifty, good knock from the Sri Lanka batter.

The offcutter from Fizz took the edge of Kusal’s bat and Mushfiqur Rahim behind the stumps didn’t make any mistake.

Last bat BKG Mendis c †Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman 54 (76b 4x4 0x6) SR: 71.05

Fall of wicket 194/5 (36.6 ov); Partnership: 33 runs, 6.3 overs, RR: 5.07 (Gunaratne 22, Mendis 11)

Run out seemed to become Sri Lanka’s bane today when Milinda Siriwardana was dismissed for 12 to leave the hosts at 161 for 4 after 30.3 overs.

Another run out, and this time Milinda has to go.

There was hesitation between the batsmen, Milinda took off, Mendis sent him back after the initial call of yes, and in the end Milinda was short of the crease when Mushfiqur dislodged the bails in one motion.

Last bat TAM Siriwardana run out 12 (16b 1x4 0x6) SR: 75.00

Fall of wicket 161/4 (30.3 ov); Partnership: 25 runs, 4.4 overs, RR: 5.35 (Siriwardana 12, Mendis 13)

Sri Lanka lost their third wicket to a run out when Dinesh Chandimal was sent back against the run of play with the hosts at 136 for 3 in 25.5 overs.

Third umpire signals out, and the Bangladesh players are jubilant…and why won’t they be, a wicket gift-wrapped and delivered by Sri Lanka!

Dinesh’s bat was plonked inside but he lifted it even as both feet were in the air when the bails were dislodged. Superb throw from the deep, smart work from Mushfiqur Rahim. Very poor from Chandimal, could have so easily just stretched back in. He was ambling down the crease this time and paid the price.

Last bat LD Chandimal run out 21 (35b 2x4 0x6) SR: 60.00

Fall of wicket 136/3 (25.5 ov); Partnership: 49 runs, 12.1 overs, RR: 4.02 (Chandimal 21, Mendis 25)

Earlier, Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh their second wicket when he clean bowled Upul Tharanga for 35 to leave Sri Lanka at 87 for 2 after 13.4 overs.

Taskin gets the breakthrough, kept pushing the batsman back with his short balls, and the full one was too good for the Sri Lankan opener!

Fullish delivery around leg, Upul beaten for pace, the ball sneaked through bat and pad and struck middle stump.

Last bat WU Tharanga b Taskin Ahmed 35 (35b 5x4 1x6) SR: 100.00

Fall of wicket 87/2 (13.4 ov); Partnership: 11 runs, 2.5 overs, RR: 3.88 (Tharanga 5, Mendis 5)

Bangladesh got their first breakthrough when Mehedi Hasan Miraz dismissed Danishka Gunathilaka for 34 with Sri Lanka going strong at 76 for 1 after 10.5 overs.

Soft dismissal and Danishka has to go back…Mehedi strikes, and Bangladesh have a chance to stem the flow of runs after the first wicket stand.

The ball was outside off, had plenty of flight and dipped late on the batter. Danushka could not keep his drive down, and Mahmudullah Riyad completed a simple catch in the end.

Last bat MD Gunathilaka c Mahmudullah b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 34 (38b 3x4 1x6) SR: 89.47

Fall of wicket 76/1 (10.5 ov); Partnership: 76 runs, 10.5 overs, RR: 7.01 (Tharanga 30, Gunathilaka 34)

Sri Lanka openers Upul Tharanga and Danushka Gunathilaka began the innings on a positive note as the ball came nicely onto the bat and took the hosts to 61 for 0 after eight overs.

Bangladesh nearly had their first wicket in the third over when Danushka smashed his drive straight back at Mashrafe who managed to get his left hand out. The ball almost carried to the Tamim Iqbal to mid-on after it struck Mashrafe’s hand.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh will begin proceedings with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Sri Lanka having been outplayed in the first game came out strongly with the bat in the previous encounter, but it was the rain, that spoilt their chances in the second ODI.

Although a win here will probably fall just short of the sense of achievement that the Test team created by defeating Sri Lanka for the first time in Bangladesh's 100th Test earlier on the tour, it will be another seminal moment as most of Bangladesh's memorable triumphs in ODIs have come at home.

If they win today, they will have defeated a higher-ranked opponent away from home for the first time, barring the 2009 series win against a West Indies fielding a second-string side due to a contract dispute.

"If we can win it will of course feel very good. But for that we have to play very good cricket," said Mashrafe. "If you see the last match, they scored 300. Obviously the wicket was very good, but maybe we have to try to minimise 20-25 runs from that. Where they can score 300, we have to keep it to 280.”

That the hosts are under pressure can be gauged by the fact that yesterday was the second pre-match conference in a row that Asanka Gurusinha, and not captain Upul Tharanga, faced up to the press.

"There is pressure and there will be criticism anywhere. A few years ago everyone was criticising Bangladesh and they have come up. We have to do that. We've got to cop it if we're not performing. We've got to go out there and give everything we have. Then if we lose the game, then Bangladesh have played very, very good cricket.

"There's no problem -- it's just a team that's playing a good side and getting out to some bad shots I think. We do well in patches but the consistency is where the important part is. And the patience as well," Gurusinha said.