ODI World Cup Warm-up: Shakib-less Bangladesh thump Sri Lanka by 7 wickets with 8 overs to spare; Tamim Iqbal's replacement shines bright

In an electrifying display of cricket at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Friday, Bangladesh began their ICC ODI World Cup journey with a dominant seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their inaugural warm-up match.

The target of 264 set by Sri Lanka was comprehensively chased down by Bangladesh, thanks to sensational performances from their top-order batsmen. Young talent Tanzid Hasan impressed with a gritty 84 off 88 balls, decorating his innings with 10 boundaries and two maximums. His opening partner, Litton Das, complemented him perfectly, striking a quickfire 61 off 56 balls, inclusive of 10 boundaries. Together, they laid a solid foundation, stitching a 131-run partnership for the first wicket. Furthermore, Mehidy Hasan Miraz continued the momentum with a fluid 67 not out, and the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim remained undefeated on 35, taking Bangladesh past the finish line in just 42 overs.

Earlier in the day, having won the toss and electing to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a competitive total of 263 runs but were bowled out in 49.1 overs. They got off to a promising start, thanks to opener Pathum Nissanka's swashbuckling 68 off 64 balls and his 104-run partnership for the first wicket with Kusal Perera, who contributed a brisk 34. However, despite this strong start, Sri Lanka's middle order failed to capitalize and build on the momentum. Dhananjaya de Silva, though, showcased resilience with a well-crafted 55 off 79 deliveries, adorned with two fours and a six.

From the bowling perspective, Mahedi Hasan was the star for Bangladesh, grabbing three crucial wickets and conceding only 36 runs.

In a nutshell, Bangladesh's comprehensive victory was a perfect combination of solid batting, disciplined bowling, and effective field strategies. This win will certainly boost their confidence as they move forward in the ODI World Cup 2023.

Brief Scores:

Sri Lanka: 263/10 in 49.1 overs (Pathum Nissanka 68, Kusal Perera 34, Dhananjaya de Silva 55; Mahedi Hasan 3/36).
Bangladesh: 264/3 in 42 overs (Tanzid Hasan 84, Litton Das 61, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 67*; Lahiru Kumara 1/30).

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