Qatari Sports Investment have solid a minority stake of Paris Saint-Germain to a US ownership group, who will help with "operations and real estate."
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Have sold 12.5 per cent to US group Arctos
Private investment fund also own parts of Aston Martin, LA Dodgers
Deal values PSG at €4.25billion (£3.64bn/ $4.58bn)
Getty Images
WHAT HAPPENED?
QSI have sold a 12.5 percent share in PSG to an American investment firm, dubbing the deal a "landmark strategic partnership" in a club statement. Arctos Partners, the investor group, have agreed to grow club operations, and will play a part in stadium and training ground renovations.
Advertisement
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Their deal, the exact of the price yet to be announced, values the club at over €4bn, according to . QSI bought the club for €70m (£60m/$75m) in 2011. That same report notes that the investment group will not have any influence on any on-field matters, and are not planning on buying a majority stake.
Getty
WHAT NASSER AL-KHELAIFI SAID
QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi lauded the deal in an official release: "Arctos is a fantastic partner to help us achieve our goals, bringing strategic expertise, ideas and innovation to our business, while providing investment and new relationships to support our footballing and sporting goals. From day one, they have passionately believed in our project, our plan and vision for the Club – and we are proud to have them as part of our family. Today is an important milestone in Paris Saint Germain’s history, which will contribute greatly to the continued success and growth of our great Club."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
DID YOU KNOW?
Arctos have invested extensively in sporting brands in recent years. They own parts of over 30 organisations, including a stake in Liverpool ownership Fenway Sports Group, and MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers. They also hold a minority stake in luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin.
On May 28, 2022, Real Madrid secured a record-extending 14th Champions League trophy after batting away a Liverpool onslaught, leaving Jurgen Klopp's side in disbelief as their final chance to cherry-top a stunning season faded away like mist.
It was a poignantly bitter end to what, just one week earlier, tantalised to be a campaign of unprecedented brilliance, with Liverpool's hopes of a historic quadruple thwarted by Manchester City and Real Madrid's inevitability.
After the continental finale in Paris, Klopp declared to reporters that his squad would "go again", but the following year, last season, the Reds could not ignite the gas and toiled throughout a calamitous campaign.
Indeed, finishing fifth in the Premier League after dreadful form and a complete loss of cohesion, the Anfield side were rebuked for their "woeful" – as was said by journalist Caoimhe O'Neill – seasonal collapse, albeit salvaging Europa League football with improved performances and results to close the year.
naby-keita-liverpool-jurgen-klopp-premier-league
It was a team at the end of its life force, an odyssey stretching too long without meaningful replenishment, resulting in weary legs and stagnancy.
In August 2022, it had been four years since a centre-midfielder other than Thiago Alcantara had been signed, and the deadline day panic buy of Arthur Melo (who played 13 competitive minutes for Liverpool) encapsulated the inept approach on the transfer front.
It all could have been so different, if only the Merseyside outfit succeeded in their pursuit of France prodigy Aurelien Tchouameni, but Los Blancos' trophy-winning victory over Liverpool was always going to pave an irrevocable path for the holding midfielder.
Did Aurelien Tchouameni nearly sign for Liverpool?
Liverpool's refusal to sign a midfielder last summer and ultimately opt for Arthur in a stop-gap move was perhaps an obstinate way of throwing the toys out of the pram after failing to sign Tchouameni, who was viewed as the perfect successor to Fabinho's position as the No. 6.
Indeed, according to multiple sources – including transfer guru Fabrizio Romano – Liverpool were in contention for the player's signature, alongside Paris Saint-Germain, though Real Madrid were always the favourites to secure his services.
However, Liverpool's pursuit would ultimately prove fruitless, with Real Madrid securing a €100m (£85m) transfer for the latest Monaco sensation, praised as "world-class" by Transfermarkt's Stefan Bienkowski.
While the prospect of playing under Klopp at Liverpool was undoubtedly enticing, the sway of the Santiago Bernabeu proved too much, especially after Vinicius Junior's goal sank the Anfield ship.
For those of an Anfield persuasion, it comes as a great shame that they were not able to get the deal done for a player who would have made a greater impact last term than Jude Bellingham, who was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool before the club withdrew from the race for his name in April.
This is largely due to the need for comprehensive change, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch instead being landed to restore the midfield.
How good is Aurelien Tchouameni?
Not only would Liverpool have upgraded on Fabinho – who had an "awful" season at the epicentre of Anfield's demise, according to pundit Jamie Carragher – but they would have procured a new central focal point to transform the entire team.
His particular set of skills would have been a better fit than Bellingham's last season, as contentious as that may sound as the England international obliterates defences with ease after emulating Tchouameni's move to Madrid.
One of the most imperturbable presences on the ball and a superlative and tenacious defensive cog, the Frenchman ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 2% for interceptions, the top 6% for clearances, the top 20% for tackles and the top 10% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref.
Most comparable players to Aurelien Tchouameni (via FBref)
Arsenal's Thomas Partey (1)
Manchester City's Rodri (2)
Chelsea's Moises Caicedo (4)
Tottenham's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (6)
Arsenal's Declan Rice (7)
Given the names that the £205k-per-week is likened to, it's clear that Liverpool would have secured the services of a midfield machine custom-made for the rigours of Premier League football.
The "superb talent" – as dubbed by Rio Ferdinand – did not enjoy the incredible first year in Spain that many would have hoped, and despite making 50 appearances across all competitions, he was benched for every knockout tie in the Champions League and both semi-final legs against historic rivals Barcelona in the Cope del Rey.
However, the 27-cap international is still young and already boasts qualities that eclipse the lion's share of talented midfielders across Europe; that might not be the case when comparing him to Bellingham, who has been hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Raphael Honigstein.
Moreover, as much as Bellingham is a bona fide prodigy, he is not a defensive midfielder, actually utilised in and around the final third with Real Madrid, and his French counterpart would have provided the steely assurance in the centre to prevent the malaise that seeped in last year.
Bellingham, aged just 20, joined Real in an initial €103m (£88m) deal this summer after rising to prominence in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, and has blitzed into life at one of football's greatest-ever clubs with five goals and an assist across his first four outings in the Spanish top-flight.
There were rumours that Liverpool would return for Tchouameni once more this summer, with The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe claiming that the 23-year-old had remained a coveted commodity on Merseyside, with Klopp earmarking him as he rebuilt his team's midfield.
But after starting all four of Real's LaLiga matches thus far this term, it's looking increasingly unlikely that he will be departing the Spanish capital any time soon, especially after personally distancing himself from rumours in July after liking a tweet suggesting he is not for sale amid interest from the Premier League giants.
Once remarked to be "pure gold" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Tchouameni will long be remembered as a player who could have reinvigorated the Liverpool ranks and prevented a detrimental campaign that has severed the club's illustrious seven-year stay in the Champions League.
And while Liverpool's fortunes look far brighter at present, there is no telling how mighty the squad could have become with such a blistering talent orchestrating the play from the nucleus of Klopp's system.
Tottenham Hotspur have now been provided with a significant update on their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba…
Are Tottenham signing a defender?
Ahead of the September 1st transfer deadline, Spurs are still looking to sign a new defender, and Football London have recently given an overview of their potential targets, with Torino's Perr Schuurs still an option, but there will be competition.
Both Arsenal and Liverpool are also interested in the Dutchman, who could cost as much as £35m, although the Italian club would be willing to start negotiations at €20m – €25m (£17m – £21.3m), indicating he could end up being a low-cost signing.
Clement Lenglet and Tosin Adarabioyo are mentioned in the report, with Spurs recently opening talks with Fulham over a move for Adarabioyo, which could end up being a swap deal, with Eric Dier heading to Craven Cottage.
Tapsoba is also named as a potential target, with the report claiming the Burkina Faso international could come in to challenge Cristian Romero for a starting spot, given that he is right-footed, but there has now been an indication he could remain in Germany.
According to a report from Football Insider, the Lilywhites have now cooled their interest in the Leverkusen defender, having been told that he will cost £50m, which is deemed to be a "prohibitive" amount.
As such, the centre-back is unlikely to be on the move before the transfer window slams shut, meaning Tottenham and Newcastle United, who have been widely linked with a move, are now set to miss out on his signature.
Leverkusen are in a strong position to demand a big fee for their star defender, having already raised money by selling Sardar Azmoun and Moussa Diaby this summer, indicating they will hold out for £50m.
Although Spurs are set to miss out on the 24-year-old, they are still ready to swoop for another centre-back, and Adarabioyo has been one of their long-term targets.
Read The Latest Tottenham Transfer News HERE
How good is Edmond Tapsoba?
Although he is comfortable in possession of the ball, ranking in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons, and the 93rd percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, the Leverkusen star is yet to prove he would be worth a £50m outlay.
Former Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller has lauded the 6 foot 4 centre-back as "dangerous in front of goal", while also claiming he has "really big potential", but he has not been a consistent performer at the highest level.
The former Guimaraes man does not particularly excel on any defensive metric, placing in the 39th percentile for aerials won, despite his height, and the 38th percentile for interceptions, when compared to his positional peers.
Tapsoba is still only 24 years of age, so he could easily develop into a top defender, having been a regular for Leverkusen over the past few seasons, making 33 Bundesliga appearances last term.
However, it may not be overly disappointing that Tottenham are set to miss out on the 36-time Burkina Faso international, particularly considering they have a whole host of other targets, including the likes oof Schuurs, Lenglet and Adarabioyo.
As a result, one demerit point has been added to each player’s disciplinary records
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2018Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has been fined 20% of his match fee while Sri Lanka opener Danushka Gunathilaka has been officially reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the tri-series final in Mirpur on Saturday.Both players breached Article 2.1.7 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”As a result, one demerit point has been added to each player’s disciplinary records. Both players admitted their offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee David Boon.The Mashrafe incident occured in the sixth over of Sri Lanka’s innings when the Bangladesh captain dismissed Kusal Mendis and yelled while running close to him during a send off in a “manner that could have provoked an aggressive reaction,” according to the ICC release.The incident involving Gunathilaka happened in the sixth over of the chase when Tamim Iqbal was dismissed by Dushmantha Chameera and Gunathilaka gave the batsman a send-off when he was walking towards the dressing room.It was Gunathilaka’s first offence while Mashrafe was sanctioned for the second time since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016. Mashrafe had received one demerit point during the home ODIs against England in October 2016 and now has a total of two demerit points.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsTaskin Ahmed bowled an over in which three wickets fell•Raton Gomes/BCB
Taskin Ahmed bowled Chittagong Vikings to their first win of the season, helping restrict Rangpur Riders to 155 for 8 in their chase of 167. He took three wickets, including two in succession in the 13th over, and ran out Ravi Bopara off the next ball with his boot to suck the life out of Rangpur’s chase. Luke Ronchi had given Chittagong a blistering start with the third-fastest BPL fifty.Rangpur eventually fell 11 runs short with some of their batsmen getting set but not converting. Left-arm medium-pacer Luis Reece took two for 26 in his four overs.Ronchi made 78 off only 35 balls, hammering seven sixes. But after his dismissal, Chittagong slowed down, adding only 54 runs in the last 10 overs.Ronchi’s belligerence A whip of his wrist gave Ronchi his first six, off the third ball of the match. He hit another six in the same over, off Mashrafe Mortaza, before he struck three fours in the second over, bowled by Sohag Gazi. Ronchi, in the next over, struck Nazmul Islam over mid-on and cover for consecutive sixes before cutting past point for a four. That over finished with a six over long-off, as Ronchi lifted Chittagong to 50 runs in the first three overs, a BPL record.When Mashrafe claimed Soumya Sarkar’s wicket in the fifth over, he had faced only seven deliveries out of the 28 in the opening partnership. Ronchi struck two more sixes during his 40-run, second wicket stand with Dilshan Munaweera.One boundary in 10 oversWhen Bopara had Ronchi caught at long-on, Chittagong were 99 for 2 in the ninth over. Ronchi had made 78 of those runs, having struck seven fours and seven sixes.Munaweera struck Samiullah Shenwari for a six over midwicket at the end of the 10th over, but there was no boundary for 50 balls from that point.Munaweera fell in the 11th over after which Misbah and Luis Reece added 19 runs in the five overs of their fourth-wicket stand. Anamul Haque could only manage 17 off 14 balls. The only boundary in the last 10 overs came from Misbah, who was unbeaten on 31 off 32 balls.Setting up the chaseRangpur lost Johnson Charles in the third ball of their chase, before Ziaur Rahman was dismissed after hitting a six and a four. Mohammad Mithun was the third wicket to fall in the Powerplay, undone by Reece for a 15-ball 23.Shahriar Nafees and Bopara tried to keep up with the required run-rate, adding 49 runs in the following 6.4 overs, putting Rangpur in control.Taskin rips through RangpurIn the 13th over, Nafees was knocked over by an accurate yorker from Taskin, having made 26 off 23 balls. He then removed Shenwari next ball after he clipped a catch to Misbah at midwicket. Off the next ball, Taskin’s boot came in the way of a Thisara Perera drive, which caught Bopara short at the non-striker’s end.Taskin then took his third wicket by having Perera caught at deep midwicket, reducing Rangpur to 119 for 7 in the 15th over.Subashis takes on Mashrafe With the match entering its decisive stages, emotions got the better of Mashrafe and Subashis Roy. Mashrafe dug out a yorker, and gestured to the bowler to get back. Subashis charged at Mashrafe, with Sikandar Raza running in to separate the pair. Subashis later apologised to Mashrafe.
The six-team franchise competition was originally due to be played in 2018 from March 14 until April 15 but could be brought forward by four months
Firdose Moonda13-Oct-2017South Africa’s domestic 20-over competition is likely to be moved into the window left vacant by the T20 Global League, which was postponed earlier this week. The six-team franchise competition was originally due to be played in 2018 from March 14 until April 15 but could be brought forward by four months, subject to a final board approval.In a teleconference on Thursday, the franchise CEOs were asked to confirm the feasibility of hosting the domestic T20 in that time and assured CSA it could be done. The only outstanding tick in the box is to check with the broadcasters but unlike the T20 Global League, CSA will not need to sign a new partner. SuperSport already hold the rights of all cricket played in South Africa.A massive boost for the domestic tournament will be that all the national players will be available to participate, which is usually not the case. That means South Africa’s players will not be granted NOCs to play in other leagues, such as the Bangladesh Premier League, in that time. It is also unlikely that international opposition will be sought over that period.”If there is an international tour in that time, only 12 or so guys will be playing. What about the rest of the players? They can’t sit around for six weeks and not do anything,” a source told ESPNcricinfo.CSA was believed to be exploring options for hosting one of Pakistan or West Indies but acting CEO Thabang Moroe said the board will not enter into an endeavour which will cost them money. Only incoming tours against India, England and Australia make CSA money, so any other opposition would be loss-making and CSA cannot afford to incur more expenses. Instead, they will spend money they would have spent anyway on the 20-over competition. All that remains is for them to find a sponsor for it. Courier company Ram opted not to renew their deal last season, and it was played without a corporate backer.When the competition was called the Ram Slam, it made headlines for the wrong reasons. A protracted match-fixing investigation took place from late 2015 until July this year during which seven players including four former internationals, Gulam Bodi, Alviro Petersen, Thami Tsolekile and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, were banned for between periods of two and 20 years. CSA maintained that no actual fixing took place but there were attempts made. Last season’s 20-over tournament was a low-profile affair which was played in November-December, while the Test team was in Australia.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has explained why Christopher Nkunku was left on the bench during the win against Sheffield United.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Nkunku made £52m move to ChelseaSuffered an injury and yet to make debutReturned to bench vs Sheffield but not usedWHAT HAPPENED?
Pochettino, 51, stated he did not want to risk the former RB Leipzig forward during the 2-0 win against Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge, with the player only just returning to full fitness following a substantial injury.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT POCHETTINO SAID
Speaking after the victory against Sheffield United, Pochettino revealed the reason why Nkunku was left on the bench throughout the clash, he said to : "We didn’t want to take a risk with him and give him more time for his recovery."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Nkunku, who joined the Blues this summer in a deal worth £52 million ($65m), is yet to make a Premier League appearance for his new side, after suffering a knee injury during pre-season. Speaking prior to the game against Sheffield, Pochettino hinted that the player may be involved at Stamford Bridge, however the opportunity never materialised.
"It's a big motivation for us, for his team-mates, and the fans to see a player that should be important for us being in the squad for the first time," he said. "It's very good news for us and it's time to be calm and quiet because we don't want to put the pressure on him."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
The Chelsea boss will be hoping his side can build on the three points against the Blades this weekend, as they prepare for a busy Christmas period with games against Newcastle, Wolves, Crystal Palace and Luton Town all approaching.
Liverpool are the best-placed club to complete the signing of Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, according to Dean Jones.
The 19-year-old enjoyed a stellar campaign for the Saints last season and is wanted by a number of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
How much will Romeo Lavia cost?
Southampton stand to make a very big profit on the Belgian midfielder they signed one year ago.
Brought in from champions Manchester City for a fee that could potentially rise to £14m, Lavia was joined at the club last summer by Samuel Edozie and Gavin Bazunu, who also made the switch from Manchester.
The midfielder made 31 appearances for the south coast side last season and scored one goal. He received lots of credit and praise from pundits and managers alike last season, with Premier League legends Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand quick to lavish praise on the 19-year-old before the Saints clash against Manchester United earlier in the season.
romeo-lavia-premier-league-transfers-man-united
Scholes said: “He has chosen to move on and I think he is a player with so much potential and he could potentially go back, but he has settled in so well. He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in-front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there.”
Ferdinand also shared that sentiment, stating: “The way he has started and immediately performed here kind of justifies the conviction that Southampton have had in going and getting him. He is a young player who can do both sides of the game, equally good defensively but also once he is one the ball he has tremendous feet and can pass it.”
Reports this summer have suggested that following the side’s relegation, Lavia is looking to leave the now Championship club, with clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all having interest. However, no club has agreed to pay the £50m asking price that Southampton are demanding for their young star.
Transfer insider Jones says that he believes that the Merseyside outfit are best placed to sign the midfielder, with the potential departure of Thiago Alcantara a factor.
What has Dean Jones said about the potential move?
Speaking to FootballFanCast, journalist Jones said: “Yeah, I think at this stage, it’s fair to say that Liverpool would be best placed to sign Lavia. I think it’s interesting how this story is now being paired with the fact that Thiago could leave Liverpool.
You know, some suggestions are that Liverpool needs some money. And in order to go do that Lavia deal but I’m not sure that that is strictly true.”
Where would Lavia play for Liverpool?
Lavia, who has been hailed as a “baller” who is “big and strong” would seemingly be the final piece in the Liverpool midfield rebuild this summer.
The Reds have brought in two midfielders already, with Alexis Mac Allister arriving from Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee in the region of £35m and Dominik Szoboszlai from German outfit RB Leipzig for a fee in the region of £60m.
Should Liverpool employ a similar system to the one manager Jurgen Klopp utlised in the final games of last season, only a left-sided defensive midfielder to partner Trent Alexander-Arnold would be needed, and that is where Lavia would come in.
The 19-year-old would most likely be tasked with being the defensive anchor for Liverpool to allow their more attack-minded and creative players the license to get forward and showcase their talents, and that aspect of his game is something he excels at.
Twitter user @SawkurGod posted a graph showcasing the U24 best duel winners in the Premier League last season, and Lavia sat among some esteemed company at the very top alongside Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, both players who could command fees in excess of £100m this summer according to reports.
With reports recently that club captain Jordan Henderson might also be departing this summer, with clubs in Saudi Arabia interested, a move for Lavia seems like an incredibly smart and shrewd piece of business for the Reds as they look to bounce back from a disappointing campaign last season
Arsenal fans finally returned to the Premier League’s top four last season after six years outside of England’s elite. They pulled up the chair to the big table once again under Mikel Arteta, next to some familiar faces and some pulling up a seat for the first time.
That’s where the Gunners are out. And they deserve credit for that. They took Manchester City all the way in the title race, that cannot be disputed. What Arsenal are not, however, is in a position to be negotiating for Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, with all due respect.
One season back in the Champions League pulls up a chair to England’s elite, not Europe’s, where the North London club have never won that specific trophy. That’s without even speaking about the financial ramifications, too.
This hasn’t stopped some Arsenal fans from getting ahead of themselves, however.
What’s the latest on Kylian Mbappe?
Strap yourselves in, because the Mbappe transfer saga is set to go around the rollercoaster of the transfer window yet again this summer, with the Frenchman refusing to sign a new deal at PSG, making him a free agent next summer.
The forward has reiterated his desire to see out his contract at the French club, who would like to cash in on the player they initially splashed out a reported £166m for back in 2017. According to Fabrizio Romano, unless Mbappe signs a new deal, he will be on the market this summer.
Leading the way for his signature, as has always seemingly been the case, is Real Madrid, according to Romano, as the Spanish giants wait and see if they’ll be forced to wait a year for his services, or pick the World Cup winner up for a hefty price in the coming months.
Still, a report by FootballTransfers recently linked the Gunners with what would be an outrageous move for the Frenchman, claiming that Mikel Arteta might look to try and land him for free in 2024. While sporting director Edu Gaspar has even responded to some of the wild claims on Instagram too.
AFTV make outrageous Mbappe claim
Speaking on AFTV main man Robbie Lyle seemed to be reading an awful lot into all these recent rumours too.
Indeed, he said: “Is it too far-fetched to say that Arsenal could make a move for Kylian Mbappe. They’ve got a lot of money, Arsenal, they’ve got the wage bill right down at the club.
“If they have a good run in the Champions League and a good run in the league, they’ll have additional funds, they’ll be more attractive again to a player like Mbappe.
“His number one destination’s always been Real Madrid, but what I’m talking about, could Arsenal be in the conversation for a player like Kylian Mbappe come next season?”
It’s fair to say that Premier League fans have disagreed with the claim, too, taking to Twitter to react:
Match abandoned Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKusal Mendis overcame a scratchy start to hit nine fours and two sixes in his 107-ball 102•AFP
The second ODI between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was called off due to incessant rain in Dambulla. Play was called off at 8.45pm, an hour and 15 minutes before the cut-off time.It was an anti-climax after the game was shaping up to be an intense contest. Kusal Mendis’ maiden ODI hundred took Sri Lanka to a formidable 311, but Taskin Ahmed’s hat-trick in the last over capped off a fine last 10 overs for Bangladesh.Taskin first had Asela Gunaratne caught at mid-off off the third ball of the final over. Suranga Lakmal was the next to go when he holed out to midwicket. Nuwan Pradeep, having the unenviable task of keeping out the hat-trick, was bowled off an inswinging yorker.That meant Taskin was the fifth Bangladeshi after Shahadat Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain and Taijul Islam to reach this milestone, which he celebrated with his typical spread-eagle celebration.A win for Bangladesh would have given them their first bilateral ODI series win over Sri Lanka, but that was always going to be tough given no side had ever chased down over 300 to win in Sri Lanka.That Bangladesh got into the game was thanks largely to a lower-order collapse from the hosts – they lost their last six wickets for 40 to end up at least 20 short of what they looked set to get. Mendis built the platform through two vital stands: 111 for the second wicket with Upul Tharanga and 83 for the third wicket with Dinesh Chandimal before the collapse.Tharanga, playing in his 200th ODI, steadied Sri Lanka after they lost Danushka Gunathilaka in the third over. He struck Mehedi Hasan, the offspinner, for two fours in the eighth over before leaning into a beautiful cover drive off Mustafizur Rahman in the 10th over.Mendis was scratchy to begin with, a healthy edge flying between Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah at a wide slip position to reprieve him early on. Having scored just seven off his first 25 deliveries up until then, the boundary released the pressure. From there on, though, he was a different batsman.The control with which he was batting resulted in Tharanga slipping into the role of an accumulator. The pair raised the century stand and looked good for more, but Bangladesh had a breakthrough in bizarre circumstances. Tharanga, trying to steal a run after Mushfiqur half-stopped a Mustafizur beamer, was run-out for 65 at the bowler’s end through a direct hit from Mahmudullah at short fine leg in the 25th over.Mendis hammered the next ball, a free-hit, for a six and then reached his fifty with a boundary off the fifth delivery. Mustafizur conceded 20 off the over, with Sri Lanka showing no signs of slowing down. He reached his century in the 36th over, thereby raising the possibility of hauling his side close to 330. But the dismissals of Chandimal and Mendis in successive overs set them back.Mendis’ dismissal – taken off the rebound by Taskin on his followthrough – left Sri Lanka at 216 for 4 in the 38th over. Milinda Siriwardana and Asela Gunaratne then patched things together with a 55-run stand for the fifth wicket.Mehedi who dropped Siriwardana on 24 at midwicket had the last laugh when he bowled him in the next over. Gunaratne though continued to bring out his paddles and the big heaves to hit a 29-ball 39 to take Sri Lanka past 300 before Taskin took centrestage in the final over. However, rain had the final say.