Why Shanaka was even needed to bowl so many overs was down to Sri Lanka’s usual early-overs weapon Maheesh Theekshana having copped a blow on his right thumb while batting, and thus taken out of the attack after an eight-run opening over. Theekshana, as it would turn out, would return towards the death overs to grab the crucial wicket of Hridoy, as well as Shamim Hossain and Taskin Ahmed – all lbw – to finish with three wickets, though 69 runs given away off nine overs was uncharacteristically high.