Rampaging Rishad hands Tigers ODI series win over Sri Lanka

It was an 18-ball 48 not out from the no.8 batter Rishad Hossain that helped Bangladesh clinch what was eventually an easy win by four wickets and 58 balls to spare against Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI at Chattogram on Monday.

The result also helped the hosts claim a 2-1 series victory in the ODIs after losing the T20I series by the same 2-1 margin earlier on and two Tests still left to play against the same opposition. 

After bowling well in the first innings, Bangladesh managed to bundle the Lankans out of 235 runs despite a maiden ODI ton from Janith Liyanage who scored 101 not out from 102 balls.

Bangladesh got off to a good start in the run chase with a new opening combo of Anamul Haque and Tanzid Hasan and they put on 50 for the first wicket.

Tanzid looked the better of the two batters, dominating this partnership, and continued on his merry way even when Anamul was dismissed cheaply after scoring just 12 from 22 balls. 

In-form batter and Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto came in and went for just one run from five balls.

Tawhid Hridoy (22 from 36) got a start after playing a good knock in the 2nd ODI but couldn't carry on and Mahmudullah Riyad (one run from four balls) was also out without troubling the scorers much with Tanzid getting bogged down at the other end.

The left-handed opener, who came in as a concussion sub for Soumya Sarkar eventually scored 84 from 81 balls before falling prey to Wanindu Hasaranga and Bangladesh were 130-5 still needing 106-runs for victory.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz then steadied things with a 48-run partnership from 62 balls before Miraz fell to Hasaranga's bowling as well.

But in came Rishad for the first time this series and completely turned the tables on the Lankans and whatever hopes they harboured of a series win.

He scored the third-quickest knock (minimum 15 balls) by a tailender (position 8-11) in ODI cricket history and formed a 59-run partnership from just 25 balls.  

Earlier, Sri Lankan batters struggled early in the innings after their skipper Kusal Mendis opted to bat first. Taskin Ahmed enforced an early collapse by picking up both the openers inside the fourth over.

Mustafizur Rahman and Miraz chipped in with breakthroughs and the visitors were reduced to 136/6 in the 31st over. From there, 200 seemed far far away. 

But Liyanage kept his cool and played a timely innings to take Sri Lanka to a somewhat decent total.

He hit 11 boundaries and two maximums in his unbeaten 101-run innings from 102 balls.

Apart from Liyanage, Charith Asalanka scored 37 runs and Maheesh Theekshana chipped in with a valuable 15-run innings accompanying Liyanage to keep the scoreboard going.

For Bangladesh, Taskin picked up three wickets while Mustafiz and Miraz picked up a brace each. Rishad and Soumya Sarkar bagged one each. Only Shoriful Islam remained wicketless.

There were a few injury concerns during fielding for the hosts. Mustafiz left the field on a strecher in the 48th over. Soumya hurt himself while trying to save a boundary and substitute fielder Jaker Ali Anik clashed with Anamul Haque trying to catch a ball in the air in the final over.