ICC Champions Trophy, 2006-07

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.