After meekly surrendering to India, Bangladesh were looking to rebound strongly against the 2010 Asia Cup hosts Sri Lanka. Easier said than done, though, as this was a Sri Lankan team coming off a high after holding their nerve against a rampant Shahid Afridi in the game against Pakistan. As it turned out, Sri Lanka's good form continued, and Bangladesh were left to rue not learning any lessons from their defeat to India.
Batting first, Upul Tharanga and Tillekeratne Dilshan looted 12 runs off Mashrafe Mortaza's first over. With Dilshan clearing the ropes in only the 3rd over, the runs came freely, boundaries being scored in every over up to the 12th, as Sri Lanka brought the 100 up in no time. By that time, Dilshan had raced to his 50 from just 30 balls, but fell tamely to Shakib Al Hasan for 71 from 51 (eleven 4s, one 6) with the score on 111. Tharanga was caught behind for 54, and Mahela Jayawardene was looking good for a half-century of his own until he was undone by a smart piece of bowling by Shafiul Islam for 43. Kumar Sangakkara brought his 50 up off 67 balls, but would have been furious at himself for giving away his wicket two balls later, slashing a wide Islam delivery to the Bangladeshi captain at cover point. By that point, the score was already 239, and Chamara Kapugedera and Angelo Mathews put on an unbeaten 73 runs together (37 and 42 respectively) to take Sri Lanka to 312/4, the highest score made at Dambulla.
Tamim Iqbal made the most of his hype when he creamed Nuwan Kulasekera's first three balls for 4, 4 and 4. Fourteen runs came off Bangladesh's first over, but unlike Sri Lanka, they couldn't keep the momentum going, as Kulasekera hit back to have Imrul Kayes caught at second slip. It didn't stop Iqbal, who thrived on the Powerplays and the pace of Kulasekera and Lasith Malinga. Bangladesh were 62/1 at the 10th over, but the introduction of Muttiah Muralitharan and Dilshan's offspin slowed the scoring.
Murali made the breakthrough, when Kulasekera took a textbook diving catch to get Junaid Siddique, and Dilshan's great day got better when the rampant Tamim Iqbal (51 off 53 balls, five 4s and one 6) was stumped off his bowling. From there, it was a familiar tale for Bangladesh, as batsmen came and went. Mohammed Ashraful labored for his 9 off 29 before a poor attempt at a reverse-sweep had him LBW to Dilshan, who picked up Mushfiqur Rahim's wicket as well. Chanaka Welegedera and Lasith Malinga accounted for the tail, as Bangladesh slumped to 186 all out, giving Sri Lanka victory by 126 runs.
So with two losses from two games, Bangladesh are eliminated from the Asia Cup. While this will be disappointing enough, the fact that they failed to cross 200 in either game will give them much food for thought. That their bowlers could only take four wickets in conceding 312 runs will be dessert. Tillekeratne Dilshan was an easy choice for Man of the Match, his bowling figures of 10-0-37-3 complimenting his aggressive 71. Sri Lanka get a few days off before facing their neighbors India (for what, the 25th time in the last two years?), and their good form in the games against Pakistan and Bangladesh will be severely tested.