Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana and spinner Maheesh Theekshana shared six wickets between them as Sri Lanka bowled out Bangladesh for 164 in the Asia Cup on Thursday.
Najmul Hossain Shanto made 89 to play a lone hand in Pallekele after Bangladesh elected to bat first in the Sri Lanka leg of the 50-over tournament, a precursor to October’s ODI World Cup in India.
Pathirana, whose yorkers have earned him comparisons to his hero Lasith Malinga, took 4-32 to dismiss Bangladesh in 42.4 overs.
He got skipper Shakib Al Hasan caught behind for five with wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis taking a diving catch to his left, and sent back Mushfiqur Rahim for 13.
Later he returned to wipe off the tail after Theekshana bowled Shanto with his mystery spin to end the left-hander’s 122-ball knock.
Shanto, who bats at number three, stood calm after Bangladesh lost their openers and put on key partnerships including a 59-run fourth-wicket stand with Towhid Hridoy, who was next best with 20.
He registered his fourth ODI half-century and hit seven boundaries but the rest of the batting fell flat.
Theekshana struck first when he trapped debutant Tanzid Hasan lbw for nought while Dhananjaya de Silva soon sent back fellow opener Mohammad Naim for 16.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s run-out only added to Bangladesh’s woes, after a mix-up with Shanto.
Sri Lanka, who won the T20 edition of the tournament in Dubai last year, are co-hosting with Pakistan.
