CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh), Jan 6: Tillekeratne Dilshan gave a superb all-round performance to power Sri Lanka to a record 465-run victory over Bangladesh in the second and final Test here on Tuesday.

It was the fifth-largest win by runs in the history of the game. It was also Sri Lanka’s biggest victory in 182 Tests and Bangladesh’s worst defeat in 59 matches since gaining Test status in 2000.

Dilshan scored an impressive 143 — his second century of the match — as the visitors set an improbable 624-run target for the hosts.

Bangladesh were bundled out for 158 in their second innings on the penultimate day to lose the series 2-0.

Dilshan, who picked 4-10 with his part-time spin, was named both Man-of-the-Match and Man-of-the-Series.

Middle-order batsman Shakib Al Hasan (46) and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim (43) were the main scorers in a dismal Bangladeshi batting performance lasting just 49.2 overs.

“This is what Test cricket is all about, the guys are showing character,” said Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene of the win, achieved in his 100th Test. “But you can’t be complacent, you have to try and improve. Dilshan knows how to handle the situation and we’ve encouraged guys to play their own game.”

Dilshan was brilliantly backed by unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis who picked 3-57 to finish with a match haul of seven wickets.

Mendis started the slide when he took three quick wickets in his opening spell, removing opener Imrul Kayes (five), Junaid Siddique (four) and Mohammad Ashraful (seven) to reduce the hosts to 62-5 at the tea break.

Pacemen Dilhara Fernando and Chaminda Vaas grabbed a wicket apiece before the 32-year-old Dilshan finished the job in the closing session.

Bangladesh skipper Ashraful praised Sri Lanka’s bowling attack.

“We missed too many chances after the first session on the first day,” he said. “The wicket was a little slow and it suited them as they have two world-class spinners. We played good cricket in the last Test and are improving.”

The home team scored 413 in their second innings in the first Test at Dhaka while chasing 521 before going down by 107 runs.

Sri Lanka earlier declared their second innings at their lunch score of 447-6, built around Dilshan’s 175-ball effort, which was studded with 14 fours and a six.

Dilshan, who top-scored with 162 in the first innings, became the fourth Sri Lankan to score two hundreds in a match after Duleep Mendis, Asanka Gurusinha and Aravinda de Silva.

“I can’t forget this Test,” Dilshan said. “I stuck to my game plan which was to attack and I won the battle.”

Dilshan, 81 overnight, dominated the morning session with his aggressive batting to virtually put the match beyond Bangladesh’s reach. He was the sixth man out, bowled by left-arm spinner Enamul Haque.

Thilan Samaraweera was the first to go, adding only five runs to his overnight score of 72. He shared a 145-run stand for the fifth wicket with Dilshan.

Chamara Kapugedera also joined the run feast, making 59 off 92 balls with three sixes and a four.

Bangladesh have now lost 52 of their 59 Tests, with six draws and a lone victory against lowly Zimbabwe.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 384 (T.M. Dilshan 162, C.K. Kapugedera 96, B.S.M. Warnapura 67; Shakib Al Hasan 4-109).

BANGLADESH (1st Innings) 208 (Mashrafe Mortaza 63; B.A.W. Mendis 4-71).

SRI LANKA (2nd Innings, overnight 296-4):

B.S.M. Warnapura lbw b Shakib 27

P. Jayawardene c Shakib b Ashraful 28

K.C. Sangakkara b Ashraful 54

M. Jayawardene c Imrul b Enamul 22

T.T. Samaraweera lbw b Shakib 77

T.M. Dilshan b Enamul 143

C.K. Kapugedera not out 59

W.P.U.J.C. Vaas not out 20

EXTRAS (B-3, LB-4, W-4, NB-6) 17

TOTAL (for six decl, 127 overs) 447

FALL OF WKTS: 1-55, 2-55, 3-123, 4-165, 5-310, 6-396.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 15-3-53-0, Shahadat Hossain 28-3-92-1 (1nb, 2w); Shakib Al Hasan 20-2-79-1 (2nb); Enamul Haque Jr 36-2-109-2 (3nb, 2w); Mohammad Ashraful 17-1-56-2; Mehrab Hossain Jr 8-0-38-0; Raqibul Hasan 1-0-3-0; Imrul Kayes 1-0-7-0; Tamim Iqbal 1-0-3-0.

BANGLADESH (2nd Innings):

Tamim Iqbal c P. J’dene b Vaas 17

Imrul Kayes c M. J’dene b Mendis 5

Junaid Siddique lbw b Mendis 4

Raqibul Hasan b Fernando 10

M. Ashraful c P. J’dene b Mendis 7

Mushfiqur Rahim run out 43

Shakib Al Hasan st P. J’dene b Dilshan 46

Mehrab Hossain Jr lbw b Dilshan 5

Mashrafe Mortaza c M. J’dene b Dilshan 0

Shahadat Hossain b Dilshan 1

Enamul Haque Jr not out 0

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, NB-11) 20

TOTAL (all out, 49.2 overs) 158

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-22, 3-32, 4-42, 5-52, 6-144, 7-154, 8-154, 9-156.

BOWLING: Vaas 8-3-16-1; Fernando 12-4-36-1 (6nb); Mendis 15-4-57-3 (5nb); Muralitharan 10-0-30-0; Dilshan 4.2-1-10-4.

RESULT: Sri Lanka won by 465 runs to clinch series 2-0.

UMPIRES: S.A. Bucknor (West Indies) and N.J. Llong (England).

TV UMPIRE: Nadir Shah (Bangladesh).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Tillekeratne Dilshan.

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Tillekeratne Dilshan.

FIRST TEST: Dhaka, Sri Lanka won by 107 runs.—AFP