Images from the ICC World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, at the Arun Jaitley stadium, in New Delhi, on Monday.
Angelo Mathews became the first batter to be ‘timed out’ in international cricket as Bangladesh officially knocked Sri Lanka out of the World Cup with a three-wicket victory in a dramatic match, held amid severe air pollution in New Delhi on Monday.
Despite the AQI hovering close to the 400 mark, it was business as usual after the two teams braved toxic conditions.
Bangladesh bowled Sri Lanka out for 279 in 49.3 overs, with Charith Asalanka scoring a 105-ball 108, and then did well to chase down the target with 53 balls to spare.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who scored 82 and took two wickets for 57 runs, and Najmul Hossain Shanto (90) shared a 169-run stand off 147 balls to lay the foundation in the run-chase.
From 210 for 2, Bangladesh slumped to 269 for 7 but romped home in 41.1 overs with Tanzim Hasan Sakib (9) scoring the winning runs.
The victory snapped Bangladesh's six-match losing streak and kept them in the race for Champions Trophy qualification while denting Sri Lanka's chances for the 2025 event in Pakistan.
The top seven teams from this World Cup will qualify for the Champions Trophy, while Pakistan, being hosts, qualify automatically.
Sri Lanka suffered their sixth defeat in eight games.
Both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, who have four points each, need to finish inside the top-8 to make the cut.
Earlier, Mathews's controversial 'timed-out' dismissal almost derailed the Sri Lankan innings but Asalanka's timely hundred took them to 279 all out.
Asalanka smashed six fours and five maximums during his gritty 108, his second ODI ton, to carry the team on his shoulders even as drama unfolded in the middle overs with Mathews getting out in a bizarre fashion.
Asalanka forged a 63-run partnership with Sadeera Samarawickrama (41), before adding 78 off 82 balls with Dhananjaya de Silva (34). He also shared 45 off 48 balls with Maheesh Theekshana (22). Opener Pathum Nissanka also contributed with a 36-ball 41.
Chasing the total, Bangladesh lost two quick wickets, Dhilshan Madushanka accounting for both the openers -- Tanzid Hasan (9) and Litton Das (23).
However, Shakib and Shanto steadied the ship, taking them across the 100-mark in the 18th over.
Shakib was lucky to survive when he was dropped at covers by Asalanka off Mathews. He made it count, slamming 12 fours and two sixes in his over two-hour stay at the crease.
Mathews, however, removed both the set batters -- dismissing Shakib in the 32nd over and then Shanto chopped on to the stumps.
Shanto had 12 hits to the fence during his 101-ball innings.
Needing 69 in 16.4 overs, Mahmudullah (22) and Mushfiqur Rahim (10) added another 38 runs but they were back in the hut, followed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz (3) before Towhid Hridoy (15) and Tanzim Sakib took them home.
Earlier, Charith Asalanka's timely hundred steered Sri Lanka to a competitive 279 all out.
Asalanka smashed six fours and five maximums during his 105-ball 108, his second ODI ton, to carry the team on his shoulders even as Angelo Mathews became the first international cricketer to be ‘timed-out’ after drama in the middle overs.
Asalanka forged a 63-run partnership with Sadeera Samarawickrama (41), before adding 78 off 82 balls with Dhananjaya de Silva. He also shared 45 off 48 with Maheesh Theekshana (22). Opener Pathum Nissanka also contributed with a 36-ball 41.
The two teams do not have much at stake in the World Cup but there is never a dull moment when they play. Mathews's dismissal added another chapter to their bitter rivalry when he was timed out, the first instance in international cricket across all formats.
Mathews walked in after Samarawickrama was caught off the third ball of the 25th over off Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan's bowling, but he failed to get ready to face the ball within two minutes due to some issues with the strap of his helmet.
It prompted Bangladesh to appeal and Mathews was given marching orders by the umpires despite his repeated pleas.
Opting to field, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahman produced a moment of brilliance with a stunning catch to get rid of comeback man Kusal Perera (4) but Nissanka cut Shoriful Islam hit three fours in the third over to shake off early Lankan jitters.
The opener looked in ominous form as he did most of the damage as Sri Lanka reached 52 for 2 in the first power play.
Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis, who took 14 balls to get off the mark, clobbered Tanzim Hasan Sakib over mid-on for the first six of the innings before picking up another four.
However, his stay ended when he tried to send one off Shakib over his head only to be caught by Shoriful.
Nissanka then dragged one on to his stumps from outside off to hand Tanzim his first World Cup wicket as Sri Lanka lost two in succession.
Asalanka then deposited a slower ball from Tanzim over long on to ease the pressure. He and Samarawickrama formed an alliance to steady the ship, the former hitting two sixes -- one over long-on off a slower ball from Tanzim and the other off Shakib over long-off.
The duo added 63 off 69 balls and just when it seemed things were going their way, Bangladesh struck back with the wickets of Samarawickrama and Mathews.
However, Asalanka and De Silva (34) quickly recovered from the setback, forging a 78-run stand to take Sri Lanka past the 200 mark.
Asalanka completed his fifty in the 31st over with a four off Tanzim but De Silva was stumped by Mushfiqur after the batter was flummoxed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz in 38th over.
With Asalanka going strong, Sri Lanka added 107 runs in 19.3 overs.
Tanzim was on his firing line as Asalanka smashed three fours in the 33rd over before sending him for a maximum in the 44th over and 49th over. He was eventually out in the 49th over.
