World Cup 2015: Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara tons power Sri Lanka to 332/1

Electing to bat at the MCG, Sri Lanka just lost opener Lahiru Thirimanne's (52) wicket on 122 before a 210-run unbeaten second wicket stand.

World Cup 2015: Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara tons power Sri Lanka to 332/1
MELBOURNE: Tilakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, playing his 400th ODI, hit strokeful centuries to power Sri Lanka to 332 for one against a hapless Bangladesh bowling attack in their Pool A match of the cricket World Cup, here today.

Electing to bat at the MCG, Sri Lanka just lost opener Lahiru Thirimanne's (52) wicket on 122 before a 210-run unbeaten second wicket stand between Dilshan (161) and Sangakkara (105) took the Islanders to a commanding total.

Lanka though had an edgy start after Thirimanne was dropped off the fourth ball of the innings when Mohammad Anamul Haque Bijoy spilled a sitter at first slip to leave pace spearhead and captain Mashrafe Mortaza disappointed.

The left-handed Thirimanne continued to live dangerously after surviving another half chance off Mortaza but somehow managed to register his 12th ODI half-century in 78 deliveries, his innings laced with three boundaries.

Sharing the new ball with Mortaza, medium-pacer Hossain finally scalped Thirimanne in the 25th over only to see a rough outing on the field.

The veteran Sagakkara joined Dilshan at the crease and the duo soon found their groove even as Mortaza kept shuffling his bowlers.
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Dilshan, who registered his 21st ODI hundred en route to his 146-ball knock hit 22 boundaries but not a single six - a record.

Sagakkara was also in the attack mode as the left-hander scored 13 fours and a six in his 76-ball stay at the crease.

The left-right batting combination proved deadly for the Tigers, who had no answers to the onslaught.

If the duo changed gears in the powerplays then they cut loose in the final five overs to fetch 58 runs.
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Sangakkara though was dropped twice during his stay, once on 23 off Taskin Ahmed in the 33rd over and then off Hossain in the 41st over as the Bangla fielding told a sorry tale.

Making full use of the lives, Sangakkara soon stepped out to the far-from-convincing Bangladesh bowling inthe final ten overs to pulverise the attack.
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The wicketkeeper-batsman not only registered his 22nd ODI ton but also his fastest - off 73 balls.
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ICC World Cup 2015: Men who will make a difference
1/9
Text: ET Bureau

Stephen Fleming was one of the most thinking captains of world cricket.

Let's see who the former New Zealand skipper picks as he chooses the men who will make the difference during the World Cup...
Text: ET Bureau

Stephen Fleming was one of the most thinking captains of world cricket.

Let's see who the former New Zealand skipper picks as he chooses the men who will make ..
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Knowing him as I do from our time together at the Chennai Super Kings I just have a feeling he could do something special.

It is true he has nothing to prove - he won the tournament on home soil as captain with a six, for goodness sake - but he thrives on the big stage in the biggest matches.

He loves being part of and winning battles and as he showed in the 2011 final, when he pushed himself up the order, he can be a catalyst for his team.
Knowing him as I do from our time together at the Chennai Super Kings I just have a feeling he could do something special.

It is true he has nothing to prove - he won the tournament on home s..
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Everyone is raving about AB de Villiers after his world record hundred from just 31 balls - and rightly so - but Faf du Plessis can be just as effective and destructive.

I know his ability having coached him at Chennai Super Kings. He is unorthodox but very driven and he has taken his game forward with huge strides in the past 12 to 18 months.

He is capable of digging in or blitzing the opposition and he will be a wicket every opposition side will be desperate to get and get early.
Everyone is raving about AB de Villiers after his world record hundred from just 31 balls - and rightly so - but Faf du Plessis can be just as effective and destructive.

I know his ability ha..
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Everyone knows that with Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka has a batting lineup to rank with every other side.

But without the retired Muttiah Muralitharan it is their bowling that will come under the microscope and so Malinga really must deliver.

He has lost some pace and comes into the tournament recovering from injury but if he can rise to the challenge then he can lift those around him; if not, it could get ugly for an attack that otherwise lacks that X-factor.
Everyone knows that with Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka has a batting lineup to rank with every other side.

But without the retired M..
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Eoin can be a match-winner in two ways: as captain and batsman.

The team needed a breath of fresh air and someone to lead by example and his hundred in the opening match of the pre-ICC Cricket World Cup tri-series against Australia will give him confidence.

If he gets runs then others can feed off that and although it is too early to know what sort of captain he is, if he can encourage some positivity and belief then England could, just could, be contenders.
Eoin can be a match-winner in two ways: as captain and batsman.

The team needed a breath of fresh air and someone to lead by example and his hundred in the opening match of the pre-ICC Cricke..
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When Afridi is on his game he can drag the team along almost singlehandedly.

His bowling has been consistently excellent and against New Zealand late last year he also added surprising maturity to his long-forgotten batting while still retaining his devastating ability to hit hard and long.

If he shines he will also take the pressure off others and as it is his last ICC Cricket World Cup, he will want to go out with a bang.
When Afridi is on his game he can drag the team along almost singlehandedly.

His bowling has been consistently excellent and against New Zealand late last year he also added surprising maturi..
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There is lots of focus, and rightly so, on Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, but if Taylor can complement those two at No. 4 then that really will take New Zealand to a new level.

His form at the start of last year against India hinted at what he can do, as did his barnstorming innings against Pakistan in Pallekele four years ago, and he offers skills as either a stabiliser or a devastating finisher.

He will also feed off his mentor Martin Crowe's inspiration given Crowe's role as a Kiwi talisman 23 years ago.
There is lots of focus, and rightly so, on Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, but if Taylor can complement those two at No. 4 then that really will take New Zealand to a new level.

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There is lots of attention on David Warner and Aaron Finch at the top of the order but Maxwell is the man who, if he is hot, is capable of winning matches on his own.

I saw that first-hand in last year's Pepsi Indian Premier League when, for Kings XI Punjab, he destroyed Chennai Super Kings single-handedly.

He is unorthodox and I would use him as a floater in the order, give him license to go for his shots and fill him full of positive thoughts.

He is not a player you should count on every time but in tournaments like this, where you need big performances in big matches, he can be the difference between winning and losing.
There is lots of attention on David Warner and Aaron Finch at the top of the order but Maxwell is the man who, if he is hot, is capable of winning matches on his own.

I saw that first-hand in..
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The new, young captain holds the fortunes of the side in his hands.

The team has the potential to be a fractured environment after the omissions of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo and his ability to pull the players together and get them fighting for the cause will be fundamental.

He can do that through leadership and also through performances with bat and ball.

If he cannot lift the team through action and deed then the wheels could easily fall off.
The new, young captain holds the fortunes of the side in his hands.

The team has the potential to be a fractured environment after the omissions of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo and his abi..
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