Asia Cup 2018, Match 1: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka - Statistical Highlights

Bangladesh started their Asia Cup campaign in style by thrashing Sri Lanka by 137 runs on Saturday. Opting to bat, Bangladesh were in trouble early after losing two wickets for one run in the very first over. Tamim Iqbal retiring hurt in the following over further made things worse for him.

However, a third-wicket stand of 131 between Mushfiqur Rahim (144) and Mohammad Mithun (63) steadied the innings for them. Towards the end, Mushfiqur hit some big shots to take Bangladesh to a challenging 261. Lasith Malinga starred with the ball for the Islanders, picking up 4 for 23.

In reply, Sri Lanka kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and were eventually all out for 124.

So with the game done and dusted now, we take a look at the stats highlights from the opening match of Asia Cup 2018:

1. Mushfiqur Rahim now has the second-highest individual score for a Bangladesh batsman in ODI cricket. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 144 with the help of 11 fours and 4 sixes. The record is held by Tamim Iqbal for hist 154-run knock against Zimbabwe in 2009.

2. Mushfiqur now also has the joint-second highest-individual score in the history of Asia Cup. This record is held by India’s Virat Kohli for his 183-run knock against Pakistan in 2012.  Rahim is tied on the second spot with Younis Khan who made 144 for Pakistan against Hong Kong at Colombo SSC in 2004.

3. After Carl Hooper, Mahela Jayawardene, Herschelle Gibbs and Ramnaresh Sarwan, Mushfiqur became the fifth player batting at four or below to score an ODI century coming to bat with one run or fewer on the board.

4. Bangladesh were 3 for 2 when Mushfiqur and Mithun joined forces in the middle and shared a century-plus stand. 3 for 2 is the lowest position from which Bangladesh have put together a 100-plus stand for the third wicket in ODIs. The previous lowest score from which they built a third wicket stand of 100 or more was 20 against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2004. The stand is also Bangladesh’s first 100-run stand for third wicket against Sri Lanka in ODIs.

5. Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur added 32 runs for the last wicket which is now the highest tenth wicket stand in ODI cricket involving an opening batsman. Tamim retired hurt in the second over of the match. He then returned to bat at the fall of the ninth wicket. Damien Martyn and Glenn McGrath previously held the record for adding 31 runs against New Zealand in Auckland in 2000.

6. Lasith Malinga now has 32 wickets in the Asia Cup. He surpassed his former teammate Muttiah Muralitharan’s 30 wickets to become the leading wicket taker in Asia Cup.

7. 124 is the lowest all out total for Sri Lanka against Bangladesh in ODIs. The previous lowest was 147 in Mirpur in 2009.