Images: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Match 4

Bangladesh's openers, who gave a rousing start against India, failed to deliver against Sri Lanka, as the pacers kept the runs in check.

The hosts would have ideally wanted one of the two openers, Tamim Iqbal (21) or Imrul Kayes (42), to fire upfront to put pressure on the Sri Lankans.

Iqbal lifted Thilan Thushara for a four and a huge six in the fourth over but did not last long as he misread a Suraj Randiv delivery and was trapped in front.

The home side invited trouble, the next two batsmen gifting wickets. Former captain Mohammad Ashraful (13) ran for an unnecessary second run and failed to beat a nimble-footed Thilan Thushara, whose sharp throw hit the stumps in the 14th over.

Four overs later, Imrul played across a Thissara Perera delivery and was beaten in front of wicket, leaving Bangladesh in trouble at 88 for three.

Shakib Al Hasan (47) and Raqibul Hasan (43) steadied the innings, giving them a platform to secure a competitive total.

The fourth-wicket pair added 78 runs from 114 balls to revive Bangladesh's hopes.

But just when things looked good for Bangladesh, Thissara Perera dismissed Raqibul.

Raqibul's 71-ball knock consisted of two boundaries.

After Raqibul, the onus was on skipper Shakib to take Bangladesh to a competitive total.

Shakib, who came in when his side was struggling at 88 for three, top-scored with a 75-ball knock, which included just one four. He was out trying to hoist a short ball from well outside the off-stump.

After Shakib's departure in the 38th over, at 165 for four, the hosts' batsmen fell in a heap, with Mushfiqur Rahim (32), Naeem Islam (5), Abdur Razzak (1) and Rubel Hossain (0) out in the space of four overs with the addition of just 32 runs.

Bangladesh, however, did manage a fairly decent 249-9 in the allotted 50 overs.

Chasing a modest 250 for victory, Mahela Jayawardene (108) and Upul Tharanga (118 not out) tore apart the Bangladesh bowlers.

Jayawardene and Tharanga were engaged in a sort of competition to outscore each other and the hapless Bangladesh bowlers could not do much as the Sri Lankan opening duo put up 215 runs in 37.4 overs.

As many as seven bowlers, including four slower ones, were pressed against them but none could make an impact on the Sri Lankan openers, who drove, cut, pulled and picked the gaps for ones and twos without giving much chance to their opponents on a batting pitch.

The Bangladesh bowlers also erred in line and length against the left-right combination and their woes were compounded by the dew.

Both Jayawardene and Tharanga hit sparkling centuries as Sri Lanka reached the target with 7.1 overs to spare.

Jayawardene, who was flown in as Chamara Silva's replacement, posted his 12th ODI hundred, and together with Tharanga put the match beyond Bangladesh.

Jayawardene was dismissed in the 38th over, at 215 for one. He smashed 13 fours in his 117-ball innings.

Tharanga, who hit his eighth ODI hundred in his 90th match, struck 18 fours in his 126-ball innings.

The left-handed batsman reserved special treatment for Syed Rasel, hitting the pacer for six fours, including three from the 23rd over, while Jayawardene picked right-arm paceman Rubel Hossain for seven.

Captain Kumar Sangakkara remained not out on a 14-ball 17 as Tharanga fittingly hit the winning runs off Tamim Iqbal.