Nissanka, Hasaranga, Asalanka help Sri Lanka square ODI series against Bangladesh

Pathum Nissanka's 114 and Charith Asalanka's 91 set up Sri Lanka's three-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. With the win, Sri Lanka squared the series 1-1.

Sri Lanka, despite the early stutter and a late scare, chased the target of 286 down with 17 balls in hand.

Wanindu Hasaranga, who did not have a good outing in the first ODI, was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 45 runs. With the bat, he played a vital knock of 25 off 16 to take Sri Lanka home.

Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed's excellent bowling display in the new ball reduced Sri Lanka to 43-3 in the seventh over to gain the upper hand. But to stop Sri Lanka from chasing 287 down, Bangladesh needed the half-chances to go their way with dew having a big say.

After the loss of three wickets, Nissanka and Asalanka had to be patient and see off the early threat posed by the fast bowlers. Bangladesh had the opportunity to snare Asalanka but Litton Das got a hand to the ball but couldn't catch it after the Lankan left-hander edged it.

The wickets, though, did not slow the duo down. Bangladesh's bowling left a lot to be desired and the two batters made full use of Bangladesh's lack of accuracy and penetration as dew set in. 

Bangladesh failed to grab another half-chance as Nissanka was dropped by Najmul Hossain Shanto on 73 although it was a tough chance. But by that time, Sri Lanka had almost taken the game away from the hosts with the visitors needing only 120 off 21 overs with seven wickets in hand.

Nissanka, who earlier in the year blasted a double century against Afghanistan, reached his third ton this year off 100 deliveries. Before getting out to Mehidy Hasan Miraz, he hit 13 fours and three sixes. He added 185 off 183 with Asalanka.

Soon after that, Taskin made Asalanka edge the ball to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and suddenly Sri Lanka were slightly under pressure. 

Janith Liyanage and Wellalage hung around for some time but Tanzim Hasan Sakib trapped the former in front to put Sri Lanka under pressure with 36 still required off 53 with four wickets in hand. Both Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage ensured Sri Lanka kept calm.

Earlier, Towhid Hridoy's career-best 96* off 102 helped Bangladesh post 286-7 after 50 overs.

Soumya Sarkar's quick-fire half-century early in the innings gave Bangladesh a superb start but Hasaranga restricted the hosts to 173-5. Hridoy was tentative initially but stayed in the crease to propel Bangladesh past 280.

Litton's well-documented problem against left-arm pace was on show again as Dilshan Madushanka snared his scalp for the third time in three ODI innings. Litton is generally uncomfortable against deliveries coming back in from over the wicket from left-arm seamers and on Friday, a similar kind of delivery saw him hit the flick straight to Wellalage at square leg.

Shanto rode his luck multiple times in his 39-ball-40. Fresh off a match-winning century, Shanto was dropped at slip by Nissanka and Sri Lanka fielders missed an edge to the keeper shortly after that. 

The southpaw timed the ball superbly again on Friday and struck six boundaries. The Bangladesh captain added 75 off 11.5 overs with opener Soumya Sarkar who also batted quite brilliantly. 

Soumya, who did not look very fluent in his stroke-play across four white-ball games against Sri Lanka, was at his elegant best in the second ODI. He was severe on anything outside the off stump and picked up a lot of boundaries on the off side.

The left-handed batter hit 11 boundaries and a six - a trademark upper cut - in his stroke-filled 68 off 64 deliveries. En route to his 68, Soumya became the fastest Bangladeshi batter to reach the milestone of 2000 ODI runs (64th innings), breaking the records of Shahriar Nafees and Litton (65 innings). 

But Hasaranga, who did not have a good outing in the first ODI, opened the floodgates after he had got the wickets of Soumya and Mahmudullah in the 22nd over to reduce Bangladesh to 130-4.

Onus was on number four Hridoy and Mushfiqur Rahim to rebuild. It was tough going for the duo as some tight bowling from the tourists saw the run rate - which was more than six an over at one stage - drop down to well under 5.5 runs per over. 

Mushfiqur tried to accelerate, taking on part-time medium pacer Janith Liyanage, but Hasaranga trapped him lbw on 25 off 28 in the 32nd over. It was the first time Hasaranga dismissed Mushfiqur in international cricket. 

Premeditation led to Miraz's undoing as Bangladesh's last recognised batter was beaten all ends up by Hasaranga, leaving Bangladesh in trouble at 189-6 in the 36th over.

Hridoy and Tanzim occupied the crease and played low-risk cricket to add 47 off 10.2 overs in an attempt to bat out the 50 overs.

Before Tanzim got out on 18 off 33, Hridoy notched up a hard-fought fifty off 74 deliveries.

The right-handed batter tried to up the ante as he smashed Hasaranga for two sixes in the 48th over. Taskin Ahmed (18* off 10) hit some lusty blows towards the end to help Bangladesh get to a decent total. 

Hridoy smashed Lahiru Kumara for two sixes in the final two deliveries of the innings to take the total past 280.