ICC World Cup 2023 Warm Up Match
Bangladesh VS Sri Lanka Played at Guwahati, Assam India on 29 September 2023
Sri Lanka 263 All Out in 42 Overs (Pithun Nissanka 68, Dhananjaya di Silva 55, Shekh Mahedi Hasan 3/36, Mehedy Hasan Miraj 1/32, Tanjim Hasan Tamim 1/33, Shoriful Islam 1/35, Nasum Ahmed 1/51)
Bangladesh 264/3 in 42 Overs (Tanzid Hasan Tamim 84, Mehedy Hasan Miraj 67*, Litton Kumar Das 61, Mushfiqur Rahim 35*)
Bangladesh won by 7 wickets with 48 balls to spare
Appearing with some handicaps Bangladesh started its ICC World with bang winning big by 7 wickets against Sri Lanka which recently finished runners up in the Asia Cup.
Bangladesh for different reasons did not regular captain Shakib Al Hasan and star opener Tamim Ikbal. The team had Junior Tamim and Junior Shakib. The team also rested inform Nazmul Hasan Shanto. Yet playing like wounded tigers Bangladesh first restricted free stroking Lankans to 263 all out after losing the toss and being asked to field. The wicket was batting paradise, but Bangladesh bowlers bowled maintaining immaculate line and length. The fielding was exceptional. Other than Pithun Nishanka (68), Dhananjaya di Silva (55) and Kushal Perera (33) no Lankan batsmen could play an innings of substance. 263 on the wicket was at least 30 runs too less. Mehedi Miraj the captain of the day used as many as 7 bowlers, and all bowled well. Shekh Mahedi taking 3/36 was the most successful of them. Mehedi Miraj himself took 1/32.
Bangladesh has lot of concern with top order batting specially opening partnership. But junior Tamim playing a wonderfully aggressive top-quality innings of 84 in 88 deliveries and Litton getting back to flamboyant best with 61 in 56 balls put up a rare 131 opening partnership. This innings cooled many nerves as Bangladesh squad had no reserve openers. In absence of Nazmul Shanto, Mehedy Miraj himself batted at three and produced a dynamic innings of 67 not out. Mushfiqur Rahim remaining unbeaten on 35 had useful batting practice.
After a miserable series against New Zealand at home and not too successful Asia Cup mission this was great win, a resounding start of World Cup Mission. Remember Shakib, Tamim and Shanto were not in the team. Bangladesh in the recent past lost twice against Sri Lanaka in Asia Cup. Bangladesh plays second warm up match against formidable England on the same venue before travelling to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh for starting the actual CWC 2023 mission.
BDST: 1045 HRS, SEP 30, 2023
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