Sri Lanka Beat Bangladesh by 77 Runs in First ODI
Sri Lanka started their ODI series against Bangladesh with a strong win, defeating the visitors by 77 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The home team put up a total of 244 runs, and Bangladesh could only manage 167 in reply.
Sri Lanka’s Innings: Asalanka Shines
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first. However, things didn’t look good at the start—they lost three wickets for just 29 runs. But captain Charith Asalanka stepped up and played a brilliant innings. He scored a patient and classy 106 runs from 123 balls, which really held the Sri Lankan innings together.
Asalanka built important partnerships: first, a 64-run stand with Janith Liyanage, and then a 39-run partnership with debutant Milan Rathnayake. Thanks to Asalanka’s effort, Sri Lanka managed to reach 244 before being bowled out in the 50th over.
Bangladesh’s bowlers did a good job in patches. Taskin Ahmed was the best, taking 4 wickets for 47 runs, while Tanzim Hasan Sakib picked up 3 wickets. Even so, they couldn’t stop Asalanka from getting his fifth ODI century.
Bangladesh’s Chase: A Promising Start, Then a Collapse
Chasing 245, Bangladesh began well. Tanzid Hasan batted confidently, scoring 62 runs off 61 balls. He and Najmul Hossain Shanto added 71 runs together for the second wicket, and at one point, Bangladesh looked in control at 100/1.
But suddenly, things changed. The Sri Lankan spinners, Kamindu Mendis and Wanindu Hasaranga, turned the game on its head. Bangladesh lost seven wickets for just five runs, collapsing from 100/1 to 105/8 in the space of only 20 balls! The middle order just couldn’t handle the spin and pressure.
After that, it was just a matter of time. Bangladesh were bowled out for only 167 runs in the 36th over.
Fielding and Pitch Conditions
The pitch at Premadasa Stadium helped the spinners, making it hard for batters to score freely. Sri Lanka’s fielding was also sharp, with Milan Rathnayake’s direct hit and Janith Liyanage’s catch standing out as key moments.
What This Means
With this win, Sri Lanka take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Asalanka’s captaincy and all-round team performance have given them a great start. Bangladesh, on the other hand, will need to fix their batting problems, especially in the middle order, if they want to come back in the series.
What’s Next?
The second ODI will be played at the same ground on July 5, 2025. Sri Lanka will be looking to increase their lead, while Bangladesh will hope to bounce back and level the series.
So overall, Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka led from the front with a century, their spinners did the rest, and Bangladesh’s batting fell apart after a good start. The series is nicely set up for the next match!