In an eventful World Cup opener at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Charith Asalanka’s brilliant second ODI hundred became the highlight of the match as he steered Sri Lanka to a total of 279 despite regular setbacks from Bangladesh bowlers.
The match, played amidst severe pollution in Delhi, witnessed an unprecedented incident where Angelo Mathews became the first player to be ‘timed out’ in international cricket.
Bangladesh started strong, with wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim taking a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Kusal Perera early in the game. Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis steadied the innings with a 61-run partnership, but both fell in quick succession, giving Bangladesh control.
Sadeera Samarawickrama and Asalanka led a recovery with a 63-run stand, but Mathews’ controversial ‘timed out’ dismissal raised eyebrows.
Amidst the chaos, Asalanka remained composed, reaching his fifty off 56 balls and eventually scoring a remarkable century off 101 balls in the 48th over. His heroic efforts, coupled with contributions from Dhananjaya de Silva and Maheesh Theekshana, helped Sri Lanka reach 279. However, their innings concluded with a controversial ‘timed out’ incident involving Mathews, adding a contentious edge to an already eventful match.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 279 in 49.3 overs (Asalanka 108, Nissanka 41; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 3-80) vs Bangladesh
