Kusal Mendis crashed 124 off 114, Sri Lanka ‘s seamers took three wickets apiece, and Sri Lanka surged to a series win, defeating Bangladesh by 99 runs in the deciding ODI.

The centrepiece of Sri Lanka’s batting was the 124-run partnership between Kusal and Charith Asalanka who made 58 off 68. Bangladesh’s bowlers did well either side of that partnership, particularly at the death, conceding only 62 off the last 10 overs.

But Sri Lanka’s 285 for 7 was too much, and Sri Lanka’s bowlers too penetrative. Bangladesh never really seemed to be on top of the chase, 20 for 2 in the fourth over, then 62 for 3 in the 14th. Towhid Hridoy made a half-century, but the required rate kept climbing, and Bangladesh could not mount a substantial enough partnership. They were all out for 186 in the 40th over.

Asitha Fernando was again the best of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, finding three wickets for 33 runs off seven overs, as he continued to target the stumps, as he has done all tour. Dushmantha Chameera attempted the shorter lengths, but found success with the fuller ones, bowling Hridoy with an especially memorable seaming delivery. He finished with 3 for 51 off eight overs. Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage took two apiece.

Bangladesh will be proud of their bowling to the top order – they had Sri Lanka 100 for 3 at the end of the 21st over. And they also claimed four wickets in the last 10. But in between, Kusal and Asalanka put serious meat on the bones of this Sri Lanka batting effort.

The highlight of Kusal’s innings was his severity on length. Anything short was punished, and though the seam bowlers tried repeatedly, they could not get their bouncers high enough to really test him. He used his short-arm-jab pull to devastating effect, hitting both spinners and quicks through square leg with spectacular timing. Seven of his 18 fours came behind square on the leg side. And all up 82 of his runs (66%) came on the legside. Sweeps of various description – the hard flat one, the paddle, and the slog sweep, were also productive shots for him.

There was never a time in the innings when Kusal seemed to be in discomfort. He eased through the powerplay, hitting 25 off 26 in that period, and though there was a little slowing down as he approached fifty, the same cannot be said of his getting to triple-figures. It took him six balls to scamper through the nineties. He got there off the 95th ball he faced.

Asalanka was not in such good touch by comparison, but nevertheless found ways to make runs. He manufactured sweeps against the spinners at times, and used his feet to find lengths that he could score off. He too was stronger on the legside, finding six of his nine boundaries in that direction.

Bangladesh’s bowlers hit back nicely after that partnership, though. It was Taskin Ahmed that separated them, even if not with an especially good ball. He sent down a low full toss, and Asalanka miscued his attempted six over wide long-on, sending it into the hands of Mehidy Hasan Miraz at mid-on instead. Kusal hit one more boundary, and was out playing a tired hoick off Shamim Hossain in the 46th over.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers hunted as a pack in the chase. Asitha had Tanzid Hasan caught behind in the third over, Chameera got Najmul Hossain Shanto playing on to his stumps with one that jagged in the fourth, and then the spinners imposed themselves. Wellalage and Hasaranga took two wickets apiece, making breakthroughs through the middle overs. Sri Lanka had Bangladesh 124 for 5 at the start of the 28th over.

The spinners having exposed the lower order, Sri Lanka’s quicks came back to wipe out the innings. Aside from Hridoy, no Bangladesh batter crossed 30.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 285 for 7 in 50 overs (Pathum Nissanka 35, Kusal Mendis 124, Charith Asalanka 58;  Mehidy Hasan Miraz 2-48, Taskin Ahmed 2-51) beat  Bangladesh 186 in 39.4 overs (Parvez Hossain Emon 28, Towhid Hridoy 51, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 28, Jaker Ali 27; Asitha Fernando 3-33, Dushmantha Chameera 3-51, Dunith Wellalage 2-33, Wanidu Hasaranga 2-35) by 99 runs

[Cricinfo]