Melbourne - Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara sparkled with centuries in an unbeaten 210-run stand as Sri Lanka set a wasteful Bangladesh 333 for victory in their World Cup Pool A clash in Melbourne on Thursday.
Evergreen opener Dilshan smashed 161 off 146 balls and fellow veteran Sangakkara made 105 off 76 as Sri Lanka profited from an appalling performance by Bangladesh in the field despite the sublime conditions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Sri Lanka opening batsman Lahiru Thirimanne was reprieved three times before his charmed life ended on 52, having been dropped on the fourth ball by Anamul Haque who put down an easy, waist-high chance at slip off the bowling of his captain Mashrafe Mortaza.
That set the tone for an afternoon of grassed catches, missed run-out opportunities and leaked runs from sloppy fielding that made Bangladesh's place at the global showpiece seem an embarrassing anomaly.
Bangladesh wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim had a nightmare afternoon, failing to go for a nick by Thirimanne behind the wicket that flew between the stumper and slip in the ninth over.
Midway through the innings, he missed a stumping chance to dismiss the opener and later a run-out chance in the 43rd over when Dilshan was well short of his ground after being sent back at the striker's end.
Thirimanne was dismissed when attempting an ill-conceived ramp shot off paceman Rubel Hossain that flew straight to Taskin Ahmed fielding at third man.
That ended a partnership of 122, but Sangakkara picked up where the opener left off, again profiting from Bangladesh's abysmal fielding.
After striking an imperious off-drive for four off paceman Taskin Ahmed to move to 23, the classy lefthander was nearly out the next ball when the bowler banged in a short one.
Bunting the ball straight back, Taskin dived low to gets hands to it but spilt the tough chance.
Dilshan brought up his 21st ODI century with a streaky two from an inside edge behind the wicket after dancing down the pitch to Shakib Al Hasan.
Shortly after, Sangakkara was dropped again on 60 off the bowling of Rubel, cutting straight to point where Mominul Haque put down a sitter at chest-height.
Monimul's petulant response, throwing the ball at the bowler's end in frustration, caused three runs from an over-throw. Sangakkara responded by slapping a six straight over Rubel's head.
Dilshan hogged the strike in the closing overs, clubbing 22 fours from his imperious knock and Sangakkara had to wait until the first ball of the last over to bring up his ton in his 400th ODI.
He drove to long-off for a single to complete his 22nd ODI century, and the pair added another 11 runs to drive their team to 332-1. – Reuters