The Bangladesh batsmen had performed above expectations in their previous two games in the competition, but were a little restricted today, thanks to a disciplined performance by Sri Lanka. After the top order wasted good starts, the middle order took time to consolidate. They still had wickets in hand to accelerate in the last ten overs, but despite saving the Powerplay almost till the end, couldn't seal the innings with a flourish. A score of 249 for 9 looked below par by the tournament standards.
The pitch at the Shere Bangla National Stadium had got a little slower and the bowlers did well to vary their pace and bowl a lot of slower balls to make the batsmen work hard for their runs. They used that ploy effectively in the third Powerplay - taken in the 43rd over - where they took five wickets for 32 runs. It was the second-worst performance in the batting Powerplay in ODIs, after Pakistan lost 6 for 41 against India at Centurion in last year's Champions Trophy.
However, the game still had the makings of yet another high-scoring encounter when Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes set off confidently again. The Sri Lankans didn't have a bowler of express pace to hurry the batsmen and the openers ensured a scoring rate of more than five an over during the Powerplays. Tamim set the tone for another innings of promise when he hooked Thilan Thushara over deep square-leg for six, but the excitement was shortlived when he failed to pick the quicker delivery and was trapped lbw for 22, while sweeping offspinner Suraj Randiv. Mohammad Ashraful was also guilty of not converting his start. He risked a second run to third man but couldn't beat Thushara's direct hit and walked back for 13.
A lot now depended on the well-set Kayes. Like yesterday, he was let off early when a thick outside edge off Kulasekara went right in the sea of confusion between Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. It should have been the wicketkeeper's catch, but nobody really made an attempt. Kayes was strong on the off side, even spanking one past three fielders in the ring. He was in sight of another fifty but played across the line to Thissara Perera and was trapped in front of the off stump.
It was upto the Hasans - Shakib and Raqibul - to consolidate after that. Shakib was trying to play himself into form after two successive failures and was happy to push the singles. Both approached the situation cautiously and played out a few quiet overs. There was a boundary drought for 14.1 overs, before Raqibul broke the shackles with a powerful sweep off Bandara to deep midwicket. Both got adventurous against the spinners, employing the scoop over the keeper's head.
The pair added 77 in nearly 20 overs before a false shot cost Raqibul his wicket. After displaying a lot of patience during his innings, he chased a wide delivery by Perera and slapped it straight to Randiv at point. It wasn't the worst thing that could have happened to Bangladesh because it brought Mushfiqur Rahim to the crease. He certainly impacted the decibel levels in the crowd when he mowed Thilan Samaraweera for two sixes in an over off deep midwicket.
Shakib very nearly pulled off a similar shot but didn't get enough elevation to clear Upul Tharanga. Mushfiqur heralded the Powerplay with two more on-side boundaries, off Thushara, but perished to intelligent bowling by Randiv, who deceived him by bowling it slower through the air. The aggressor had departed for a 22-ball 32 and Sri Lanka, with those two quick wickets, quickly pulled it back.
The situation was tailor-made for Mahmudullah to exploit the field restrictions. But he was trapped in two minds whether to attack freely or adopt a more cautious approach. Sri Lanka tightened their grip by picking up a wicket in each of the five overs - a Kulasekara yorker cleaned up Naeem Islam, Abdur Razzak risked a third run and was run out, before Rubel Hossain nicked Kulasekara while attempting to pull a bouncer.
The half-an-hour early start was to ensure the fielding side protection from the dew, but it is only expected to make a marginal difference. Bangladesh will be wishing they had a bigger cushion of runs to work with.
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