Sports

Spirited BD beat SL to eliminate India

March 20, 2012

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Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in the last league match in Dhaka on Tuesday to go through to the Asia Cup final< eliminating India from the title race. Tamim Iqbal (59) and Shakib Al Hasan (56) hit impressive half-centuries as Bangladesh achieved the rain revised target of 212 with 17 balls to spare in the day-night match. Earlier, fast bowler Nazmul Hossain grabbed three early wickets as Bangladesh restricted Sri Lanka to 232 in a must-win match. Nazmul rocked Sri Lanka in his sharp six-over opening spell, removing skipper Mahela Jayawardene (five), Tillakaratne Dilshan (19) and Kumar Sangakkara (six) to send the tourists reeling at 32-3 in the day-night match. Chamara Kapugedera (62) and Lahiru Thirimanne (48) steadied the innings with an 88-run stand for the fourth wicket, but were not allowed to score freely by the Bangladeshi bowlers. Upul Tharanga was the other main scorer, scoring a 44-ball 48 with one six and five fours. Nazmul, playing his first match of the tournament, was superbly backed by left-arm spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak who bagged two wickets apiece. Paceman Mashrafe Mortaza was the other bowler to impress, conceding just 30 runs in his tight 9.5 overs. Thirimanne hit just three fours in his 73-ball knock before he was stumped off Razzak, the ball rolling on to the wickets after hitting wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim's pad. Kapugedera struck only four boundaries in a 92-ball knock for his eighth half-century in one-dayers before falling to a low catch in the covers by Shakib off Razzak. Pakistan have already made it to the final with nine points from three matches. India have eight points from three games, followed by Bangladesh (4/2) and Sri Lanka (0/2). The hosts need a win to qualify for the final as they have beaten India in the league match.