A blistering start from the openers, a crucial half-century from Kusal Mendis and a superb cameo from Thisara Perera have propelled Sri Lanka to 280 for 9 in the last ODI against Bangladesh.

Bangladesh bowlers did well to curb the fine start but some wayward bowling and slapdash fielding left them with a tough total to chase for their first series win in Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on Saturday.

Asked to bat first, Upul Tharanga and Danushka Gunathilaka both looked in fine touch and gave Sri Lanka a breezy start with a 76-run opening stand.

Bangladesh bowlers struggled to get their line and length right, giving away 12 extras in the first nine overs.

Movement off the seam was a minimum as Mustafizur Rahman was hammered for three boundaries to be replaced after six overs. Both batsmen bludgeoned a six each to breeze away past 50 in the eighth over.

After Mahmudullah was given the ball for an over to soak up the flow of runs, young Mehedi Hasan Miraz once again came to the tourists’ rescue. He outsmarted Gunathilaka in flight as the batsman drove it straight to Mahmudullah, falling for 34.

Taskin Ahmed then bowled a barrage of short deliveries to push the batsmen back before squaring up Tharanga with a length ball to have him castled on 35.

The wickets stem the flow of runs and Sri Lanka had to wait more than 50 balls to get another boundary.

The Daily Star