Images: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Mirpur

Bangladesh's opening pair of Tamim Iqbal (40) and Imrul Kayes (23) gave a decent start to the hosts, putting on 65 runs in 12.4 overs.

Iqbal particularly was the aggressive among the two as he clobbered Chanaka Welegedara for four boundaries including a hat-trick of fours to milk 16 runs off the eighth over.

Kayes too picked up ocassional boundaries and then the duo dealt mostly in singles and twos to notch up Bangladesh's 50 in 10.2 overs.

But Sri Lanka's Nuwan Kulasekara broke the dangerous looking partnership when Keyes top-edged a short delivery to give a straight forward catch to Thilan Samaraweera at fine leg.

After the quick fall of Iqbal, Raqibul Hasan (0), and then captain Shakib-al-Hasan (1) and Bangladesh teetering at 76-4, Ashraful led the charge.

He first joined Mushfiqur Rahim's (35 off 52) to add 58 crucial runs and then shared a 95 runs with Mahmudullah to bring the Bangladesh innings back on track.

After Sangakkara and elected to field first, he would have relished his chances of containing the Bangladeshis to under 200.

However, that was not to be.

Ashraful (75) curbed his natural attacking instincts to lay the foundation for a good total. The former Bangladeshi skipper partnered Rahim (35) and steadied the innings for a bit.

After the dismissal of Rahim by Suraj Randiv, Ashraful was joined by Mahmudullah.

Mahmudullah was at his attacking best and compiled a quick-fire 45 off just 47 deliveries with the help of three fours and a six.

He helped Ashraful play calmly at the death and go past the 200-run mark.

Mahmudullah stepped up the tempo when he slog-swept Randiv for a six in the 48th over before the leg-spinner got his revenge, catching the right-hander plumb in front of the wicket in the next ball.

Ashraful kept the pressure with the odd boundary and 250 was now an easily achievable total.

Ashraful scored a responsible half-century, his 20th in ODIs and struck only six boundaries during his 94-ball stay at the crease.

He took the hosts to a decent position but with nine balls to go, Ashraful fell when he went for a non-existent single in the 49th over.

Naeem Islam (22 not out off 9) drew curtains to the hosts' innings in style, notching up 20 runs off Lakmal in the last over.

Bangladesh closed their innings at 260-7.

For Sri Lanka, Suranga Lakmal and Suraj Randiv were the notable wicket-takers with figures of two for 63 and two for 51 respectively.

Sri Lankan openers -- Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga (14) started the innings in their usual style, hitting boundaries at well.

Tharanga was the aggressor initially as he creamed two boundaries through the off-side.

Dilshan on the other hand took his time, besides the odd-flashy boundary as the Lankans made a decent start to the competitive total.

However just when Tharanga was looking good for more, he lost his patience and lost his wicket.

Tharanga went for a lofted shot off a wide Rubel Hossain delivery, only to edge it to the keeper Mushfiqur Rahim.

Tharanga's innings included three boundaries.

Skipper Kumar Sangakkara (74) walked in after Tharanga's fall and continued his good form from the recently concluded series in India.

Sangakkara was critical on anything wide outside the off stump and looked good for a classy century.

The 148-run second-wicket partnership with Dilshan laid the foundation for an easy win as the duo took the match away from the host.

But he too like Tharanga, lost his patience and gave his wicket rather tamely edging Shafiul Islam to the wicketkeeper Rahim.

Dilshan cracked his third hundred in the last six innings and sixth overall, as he demolished the Bangladesh attack to all corners.

After the Bangladesh put up a competitive total, the onus was on the top order to fire and Dilshan & Co. ensured they reached there without any hiccups.

Dilshan's knock, his sixth one-day century, came off 122 balls with 12 boundaries as he almost batted through the innings. He fell when Lanka needed just 19 runs to win.

Thilan Samaraweera (41 not out) and Chamara Silva (4 not out) completed the formalities.