Sabbir Hossain :
Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan totally flopped in batting in his return to international cricket for Bangladesh. The left-arm batsman Shakib scored just 15 from 34 balls against Sri Lanka in the first One Day International (ODI) match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur on Sunday. Shakib was deceived by Danushka Gunathilaka, as he came down the track and was caught at the long-on by Pathum Nissanka off Gunathilaka when Bangladesh’s score was 43 for the loss of two wickets in the 12.1 overs.
Dashing opener Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad shone with the willow.
Opener Tamim Iqbal hit a marvelous 52. His 70-ball innings was studded with six fours and one sixer. Iqbal fulfilled his 51st ODI half-century playing 66 balls with six fours and a sixer.
Later, ‘Mr Dependable’ Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad helped their side from batting debacle contributing together 109 runs for the fifth wicket partnership before Mushfiqur Rahim was caught at the short third man by Isuru Udana off Lakshan Sandakan when Bangladesh’s score was 208 for the loss of five wickets.
‘Mr Dependable’ notched up his team’s highest score of 84. He hit four fours and a sixer in his 87-ball innings. Mushfiqur Rahim reached his 40th ODI fifty-run landmark using 52 balls including two fours and a sixer.
Mahmudullah Riyad, who is called ‘Mr Finisher’ showed a remarkable performance. He made 54 from 76 balls featuring two fours and a sixer. He cleanly bowled out by Dhananjaya de Silva when Bangladesh’s score was 230 for the loss of six wickets. Riyad fulfilled his 24th ODI half-century playing 69 balls with two fours and a sixer.
