Atapattu makes light work of Bangladesh (Getty Images)

By PA Sport Staff

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Chaminda Vaas ripped through the Bangladesh top order as Sri Lanka secured an emphatic 10-wicket win in their World Cup Pool B encounter.

Vaas took a hat-trick with the first three balls of the match and added a fourth wicket two balls later to leave Bangladesh reeling on five for four after just one over in Pietermaritzburg.

He later returned to wrap up the Bangladesh innings for a paltry 124 by breaking a stubborn last-wicket stand to finish with figures of six for 25.

The target then proved no problem for the rampant Sri Lankans, who cruised to victory in just 21 overs with Marvan Atapattu cracking an unbeaten 69 and skipper Sanath Jayasuriya finishing 55 not out.

Vaas' incredible first over burst, which saw him become the first man to claim a hat-trick with the first three balls of a one-day international, all but settled the game.

Only compatriot Nuwan Zoysa has kicked off a game by claiming a hat-trick before, against Zimbabwe in Harare in the 1999-2000 season, but that came in the second over an innings.

It was also the first time that four wickets have been taken in an over in a World Cup match.

Yet Vaas, who also holds the world's best one-day figures of eight for 19 from eight overs, was ably supported by spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who quietly claimed three for 25 to kill off any hopes of a recovery.

Left-armer Vaas began his carnage by getting a ball to nip back and uproot the offstump of Hannan Sarkar with his first ball before Mohammad Ashraful paddled back a simple return catch.

Ehsanul Haque then gave Vaas an unbelievable treble by getting a thick outside edge to Mahela Jayawardene in the slips.

Sanwar Hossain hit a four with the fourth ball of the over, but after letting the next by for a wide, he was to become the fourth victim when he was trapped leg before.

Alok Kapali attempted a recovery with a battling 32 but other than Mashrafe Mortaza's 28, there was little else for Bangladesh to cheer about.

In reply, Sri Lankan openers Atapattu and Jayasuriya played magnificently against some ordinary bowling to make light of their target.

The win took them to the top of the wide open Pool B but left Bangladesh, already humiliated once in this tournament by Canada, in dire straits.

Yet the manner in the Sri Lanka duo batted was exhilarating, with both players scoring freely.

Atapattu went to his 50 off 53 balls in 63 minutes, hitting eight fours along the way, whilst Jayasuriya brought up his half century with a massive six over midwicket from his 38th ball. He also hit six fours.