Sports Desk: Towhid struck a brilliant 96 not out as Bangladesh racked up 286-7 in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.
Bangladesh which won the first match by six wickets are aiming to seal the three-match series with a game to spare.
Opener Soumya Sarkar hit 66 ball-68 with 11 fours and one six to give the side a solid platform.
Put into bat first, Bangladesh once again made a shocking start with Liton Das bagging second straight duck. After being out in the first ball of the innings in the previous match, Liton now got three-ball duck when pacer Dilshan Madushanka had him caught by Dunith Wallelage at square leg.
But skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya counterattacked in style to put Sri Lanka bowler in sword. They shared 75 runs for the second wicket off 71 balls before Madushanka, who snapped up 2-30, struck again to get the better of Shanto who made 39 ball-40 with six fours.
Wanindu Hasanranag who claimed 4-45 then came into the party, striking twice as he got rid of Soumya and Mahmudullah for duck in three balls.
With 130-4, Bangladesh were in danger to be bowled out cheaply and the situation further worsened when Hasaranga removed Mushfiqur Rahim for 25 and Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 12 leave Bangladesh 189-6 in 36th over.
Towhid Hridoy meantime raised his seventh fifty off 74 balls but then bludgeoned the Lankan bowlers all corner of the park to hit the next 46 runs off just 28 balls. His belligerent approach was key in helping Bangladesh reach a respectable total.
He smashed three fours and five sixes in his knock for which he played 102 balls.
