ICC Champions Trophy, 2006-07
ICC Champions Trophy, 2006-07
15-Apr-2007
At Mohali, October 7, 2006 (day/night). Sri Lanka won by 37 runs. Sri Lanka 2 pts. Toss:
Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka continued their good run - which had started in June with five successive wins over
England before two slaughters of poor Holland - and eased to victory over Bangladesh in the
first qualifying match. Habibul Bashar was deceived into hoping that the grassy pitch might help
his seamers. But Tharanga's fifth international century of the year confirmed the brilliance of his cover- and square-driving, and his occasional flakiness elsewhere. He shared four successive fifty
partnerships, the fourth with Atapattu, who was returning after a long struggle with a back injury.
Jayawardene also sprinted to 35 off 24 balls, but it needed the tail to thump 28 from the last two
overs to lift the total past 300. Bangladesh only came as close as they did because of the sloppiness
of Sri Lanka's bowlers; in all there were 36 extras, which Jayawardene attributed to his team's
long break rather than the dew-sodden conditions.
Man of the Match: W. U. Tharanga.