Mahmudullah's innings set up ‘fantastic run-chase’ in 1st ODI, says Hemp

Dilshan Madushanka and Pramod Madushan's excellent display of swing bowling reduced Bangladesh to 23-3 in a 256-run chase and at that point, the target felt like a mountain to climb for the home side. Onus was on Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mahmudullah to bail the Tigers out of trouble.

The Sri Lankan opening bowlers got the ball to shape in and away and got more bounce under lights than their Bangladeshi counterparts and so someone needed to take the attack back to the bowlers and take control of the chase.

Shanto was two off 12 at one point but Mahmudullah's arrival took the pressure off the Bangladesh skipper. The 38-year-old batter was able to upset the rhythm of the Sri Lanka pacers and made them err in line.

Madushanka was guilty of giving width outside the off-stump and Mahmudullah masterfully took advantage every time in the ninth over, picking up three boundaries to put pressure on the left-arm seamer.

"I think the approach that [Mahmudullah] Riyad had – obviously, the ball was swinging, Sri Lanka were targeting the stumps, so, that was a danger ball – but he made a conscious effort to get at the ball. So, if you watched, he changed the length. He came at the bowler," Hemp told reporters on Thursday. 

Mahmudullah hit one more boundary off Lahiru Kumara and a straight six off Wanindu Hasaranga before suffering from cramps and top-edging a pull off Kumara. He made a run-a-ball 37 and by the time Mahmudullah got out, the required run rate was well under five runs per over.

"I think that his approach shifted that emphasis, took a little bit of pressure off Shanto. And I think the partnership of 69, which sort of set the game up, or say set the chase up if you like. So I thought his approach took the bit of the ascendancy away from Sri Lanka and gave it back to us a touch," he added.