All-round Dasun Shanaka helps Sri Lanka complete ODI series clean sweep over Bangladesh

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  • Sri Lanka complete 3-0 clean sweep at Colombo.

    Hosts Sri Lanka completed a 3-0 ODI series clean sweep on home soil for the first time in more than three years with the islanders thrashing Bangladesh by 122 runs in the final clash at Colombo.

    Dimuth Karunaratne’s men had already sealed a series win with convincing results in the first and second ODIs and they made no mistake in making it three in a row on Wednesday against a lacklustre Bangladesh.

    The hosts amassed a mammoth 294-8 after batting first at Colombo with veteran Angelo Mathews top-scoring for his side with an 87 (90) while Kusal Mendis chipped in a with a valuable 54.

    In response, a sorry Bangladesh were bowled out for just 172 runs with the medium pace of Dasun Shanaka (3-27) and Lahiru Kumara (2-26) doing most of the damage.

    Sri Lanka lost Avishka Fernando early with the bat but important contributions from Karunaratne (46), Kusal Perera (42) and Mendis (54) kept the hosts chugging along before Mathews and Shanaka accelerated in the death.

    Mathews and Shanaka provided the fireworks in the death.

    Mathews and Shanaka provided the fireworks in the death.

    Bangladesh’s chase of 295 runs never really got going with openers Anamul Haque and Tamim Iqbal falling early. Soumya Sarkar (69) was the only batsman who mustered any resistance for the visitors with Shanaka and Kumara running riot in the middle-overs.

    KEY TAKEAWAY

    Tamim’s struggles continue

    The Bangladesh stalwart’s horrendous run of form showed no signs of abating with the opener perishing for just two runs on Wednesday. It means that the experienced southpaw has managed a mere 21 runs across the three matches following a sup-bar World Cup where he averaged under 30 with the bat.

    It has been a strange dip in form for the 30-year-old who has nearly 7,000 runs and 11 ODI tons to his name. The only silver living for the Bangladesh opener was the fact that he avoided getting bowled for the seventh innings in a row.

    KEY MAN

    Dasun Shanaka

    It was a day which clearly belonged to Dasun Shanaka with the Sri Lankan all-rounder having a great time with both bat and ball.

    The 27-year-old first played an explosive 14-ball cameo with the bat which fetched 30 runs for Sri Lanka in the death overs. Shanaka struck two sixes and as many boundaries during his brief stay at the crease with his fireworks propelling the hosts to a commanding total.

    He then turned hero with the ball by decimating Bangladesh’s formidable middle-order in the matter of a few deliveries. Shanaka accounted for Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun and Mahmudullah in an inspired spell that completely derailed the visitors’ chase.

    All-round impact from Shanaka.

    All-round impact from Shanaka.

    KEY STAT

    Tigers’ horror ODI run

    With their series whitewash at the hands of the Sri Lankans, Bangladesh have now lost five matches in a row.

    It is the worst run of form for the Tigers since 2014 when they lost 12 matches on the bounce.

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