DHAKA – Shakib Al Hasan smashed an explosive 92 not out to power Bangladesh into the triangular one-day series final with an upset five-wicket win over Sri Lanka yesterday.
The left-hander cracked two sixes and 10 fours in his 69-ball knock as Bangladesh surpassed Sri Lanka’s total of 147 with 7.1 overs to spare in a match reduced by fog to 31 overs a side.
The hosts will clash with Sri Lanka again in Friday’s final after both teams finished their league engagements with five points apiece, including a bonus point, with a win each.
Zimbabwe, who also won one match, ended with four points.
It was only the second win by Bangladesh over Sri Lanka in 25 one-day internationals.
‘It was the best innings of my career,’ said man-of-the-match Hasan. ‘I was middling the ball. I did not target any bowler and played each ball on its merit.’
The hosts were reeling at 11-3 following a pair of run-outs, but Hasan flayed the Sri Lankan attack with his hard and clean hitting. He added 91 for the fourth wicket with skipper Mohammad Ashraful (26).
Naeem Islam (12 not out) finished the match in the 24th over when he lofted unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis over long-on for a six, with Hasan just eight runs short of his third one-day century.
Hasan, 21, was not the only star in the Bangladeshi victory as debutant fast bowler Rubel Hossain (4-33) and paceman Mashrafe Mortaza (3-25) earlier shared seven wickets to restrict Sri Lanka to a modest total. – Nampa-AFP
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