( Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail )
Bangladesh Dominate Sri Lanka on Day Two of First Test in Galle
GALLE: Bangladesh continued their strong performance on day two of the first Test against Sri Lanka, posting an imposing total of 484 for nine despite some late breakthroughs by the hosts.
Resuming at 292 for three, the Tigers built on a batting-friendly pitch with a record-breaking partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto. The partnership ended at 264 runs when Shanto was dismissed for a fluent 148, featuring 15 boundaries and a six.
Mushfiqur Rahim carried on with determination, scoring a marathon 163 runs off 350 balls over nearly nine hours. His innings anchored the Bangladesh batting lineup and showcased great patience and skill.
Liton Das also made a significant contribution, scoring a quick 90 off 123 deliveries. He capitalized on tired bowlers and some fielding lapses, particularly troubling the spinners with aggressive footwork and clean strokes over the in-field. Despite a couple of close calls, including a missed catch and a narrow escape from a run-out, Liton’s innings added valuable runs for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh batting coach Mohammad Salahuddin praised the team’s effort, especially Mushfiqur’s performance. “It was a very good effort by the batsmen,” he said. “Mushfiqur showed great character and it was just a matter of time before he scored a big one. We have put up a strong total and hope our bowlers can create opportunities with attacking fields.”
Sri Lanka’s Milan Rathnayake acknowledged the challenge posed by the pitch. “It was one of the flattest wickets we have seen in Galle,” he said. “Despite that, we did a decent job and came back stronger after tea to claim five wickets.”
Rain interruptions limited play to 61 overs on day two, with early tea called due to drizzle and fading light ending the day’s action prematurely. Play will resume 15 minutes earlier on Thursday to make up for lost time.
Score Summary:
Bangladesh 1st innings (151 overs): 484 for 9
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Najmul Hossain Shanto: 148
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Mushfiqur Rahim: 163
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Litton Das: 90
Key bowlers for Sri Lanka:
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T. Ratnayake: 3 wickets for 196 runs
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M. Rathnayake: 3 wickets for 38 runs
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A. Fernando: 3 wickets for 80 runs
The match remains finely poised as Bangladesh look to press their advantage going into day three.
