Mid-way through their innings they were 62 for eight, in danger of recording their lowest ever total in their 52-match history – their previous worst being the 87 they were bowled out for by Pakistan at Dhaka in 2000.

The tourists had started brightly enough, with both openers crashing a boundary apiece in the early overs, but the innings soon subsided.

Mohammad Ashraful was the first to go, caught behind for four as he tried to pull a short delivery from Chaminda Vaas that was angling away to the slips.

Dilhara Fernando then showed off his prowess with the slower ball, a cleverly disguised delivery that slips through the pace bowlers fingers at the last moment.

Al Sahariar (5) aimed a leg-side flick but ended up spooning a return catch as he played his shot too early and Alok Kapali (5) skied a simple catch to mid-off after mistiming an off-drive (27 for three).

Hasantha Fernando, Sri Lanka’s third seamer in this game, struck in his second over, fortuitously trapping Habibul Bashar (10) lbw when the right-hander looked to have been hit outside the line of off-stump (40 for four).

Muttiah Muralitharan then joined the fray, grabbing two quick wickets to move past Shane Warne in the all-time ODI wicket-taking list.

Tushar Imran (10), yesterday’s hero, bat-padded a catch straight into the hands of Russel Arnold at silly point.

With five Sri Lankan fielders now crowded around the bat, former captain Naimur Rahman (0) was dismissed for a duck as he edged Muralitharan’s straighter delivery into the gloves of Sangakkara behind the stumps (51 for six).

Hasantha Fernando grabbed his second wicket when one-day specialist Khaled Mahmud (0) drove a simple catch to Marvan Atapattu at cover.

Upul Chanadana became the fifth Sri Lanka bowler to take a wicket when he clean bowled Mohammad Raffique (5) with his first delivery, a sharply turning leg-spinner that spun back through the gate.

Unlike yesterday, Sri Lanka would have preferred to bat first on a pitch that is being reused. The Sri Lanka management expects the surface to deteriorate in the second innings.

Bangladesh named an unchanged side, packing the side full of all-rounders.

Sri Lanka made one change, including leg-spinner Upul Chandana in place of fast bowler Chamila Lakshitha Gamage.

Sri Lanka won the first game of this three-match series by five wickets on Sunday.

Sri Lanka:

Sanath Jayasuriya (Capt), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jaywardene, Russel Arnold, Aravinda de Silva, Upul Chandana, Hasantha Fernando, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan

Bangladesh:

Khaled Mashud (capt), Habibul Bashar, Al Sahariar, Mohamed Ashraful, Manjural Islam, Tushar Imran, Khaled Mahmud, Naimur Rahman, Mohammad Raffique, Tapash Baisya, Alok Kapali