Dilshan guides Sri Lanka to emphatic win

T. M. Dilshan slammed an unbeaten 113 to guide Sri Lanka to an emphatic eight wickets win over Bangladesh in the first ODI encounter against Bangladesh played at the Sooriyawewa Stadium yesterday. Thus Sri Lanka surges to a 1- 0 lead in the three match series.

The Bangladesh bowlers were sent on a leather hunt as Dilshan made the revived run chase of 238 runs in 41 overs look easy after play was delayed for nearly one and a half hours due to a power failure at the stadium after the completion of the Bangladesh innings who made a formidable 256.

Dilshan's ton which was the 15th of his career and his third against Bangladesh came off 108 balls and comprised 13 boundaries which put into shade the fighting 112 made by Tamim Iqbal for Bangladesh.

In Sri Lanka's run chase openers Dilshan and Kushal Perera gave the side a flying start with the pair being associated in a 106 runs stand in balls. The separation came with the end of Kushal's calypso style 53 ball knock of 42 which included five boundaries and a six.

Kushal's departure saw the experienced Kumar Sangakkara walking in. Sanga with Dilshan steered the side without any hiccups with the pair putting on an unbroken 132 runs partnership for the second wicket as Sri Lanka reached the target with 5.2 overs to spare with Sangakkara remaining unbeaten on 63.

Earlier Bangladesh who were invited to take first lease of the wicket by Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews was given a sedate start by openers Tamim and Anamaul Haque who together added 44 runs before being separated.

The dismissal saw Bangladesh losing two wickets for the addition of 19 runs in five overs and was in a spot of bother before the first recovery act began between Tamim and Mahmdullah. The pair added a valuable 66 runs for the fourth wicket before Mahmuddullah snicked one to wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Tamim gave a life when he was on 54 being dropped by Angelo Mathews at extra cover and took advantage of this lapse. This was followed by another 75 runs stand for the fifth wicket which involved Tamim again with the othert batsman being Nasir Hossain.

Tamim in the process raced to his fourth ton of his career and ended up with a top score of 112 which came off 136 ball that included ten boundaries and a six. Tamim also became the first Bangladesh batsman to hit a hundred against Sri Lanka with the best being the 92 by Shakib Al Hasan made in 2009.

With Tamim's dismissal Nasir Hossain took over the baton and he succeeded to a great extent as he smothered the clinical Sri Lanka bowling attack by making a quick-fire 73 in only 59 balls helping Bangladesh accumulate 90 runs in the final ten overs.

The two sides will now play their second match tomorrow ( Monday) at the same venue.