Sri Lanka near Test series victory against Bangladesh

Published April 3, 2024
BANGLADESH opener Mahmudul Hasan is cleaned up by Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya during the second Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Tuesday.—AFP
BANGLADESH opener Mahmudul Hasan is cleaned up by Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya during the second Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Tuesday.—AFP

CHITTAGONG: Prabath Jayas­uriya, Lahiru Kumara and Kamindu Mendis each claimed two wickets as Sri Lanka came within grasp of another resounding victory in the second and final Test on Tuesday.

Bangladesh were 268-7 at stumps on the fourth day in Chittagong, still needing 243 runs for an improbable win.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz played an unbeaten knock of 44 to take the game into the fifth day with Taijul Islam accompanying him on 10.

Mominul Haque was the only other batsman to put up a fight, making 50 off 56 balls before he was dismissed by the spinner Jayasuriya in the last over before tea break.

Mominul denied that the team had lacked preparation.

“Playing domestic cricket and international Test matches is very different,” he said.

Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das put on 61 runs for the fifth wicket after Mominul’s dismissal.

Off-spinner Kamundu broke the stand as Nishan Madushka took a brilliant reflex catch at silly point to dismiss Shakib for 36.

Liton got the bottom edge in an attempt for a pull shot off Kumara to depart three overs later for 38.

Kamindu broke another promising partnership of 46 runs between Mehidy and Shahadat Hossain, trapping the latter leg before for 15.

‘STRONG POSITION’

Mahmudul Hasan (24), fellow opener Zakir Hasan (19), and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (20) were all sent back cheaply.

Jayasuriya bowled Mahmudul to break the 37-run opening stand.

Zakir gave a catch to Dhana­njaya de Silva off Vishwa Fern­ando at slip, and Lahiru clipped the bail of Najmul’s off-stump.

Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood praised Bangladesh’s fighting spirit.

“I think Bangladesh played well today. They put the pressure back on the bowlers, they made life difficult for us,” he said. “I think we bowled well in patches — there were periods when we could have bowled better,” he added.

“I don’t think we quite had the consistency in this innings as we showed in the first innings with the ball, but thankfully our hard work has put us in a strong position”.

Resuming on 102-6, Sri Lanka batted for a little over an hour to add 55 runs to their overnight score before declaring at 157-7.

Angelo Mathews, unbeaten on 39 overnight, top-scored with 56 runs. He was bowled by Shakib after making his 41st Test fifty. Jayasuriya was unbeaten on 28 when the declaration came, along with Vishwa Fernando, who was eight not out.

Debutant pace bowler Hasan Mahmud finished with 4-65 for Bangladesh. Sri Lanka were missing Dinesh Chandimal in the field after he returned home for a family emergency.

Sri Lanka, who have never lost a Test series to Bangladesh, thrashed the hosts by 328 runs in the first Test at Sylhet.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 531 (Kusal Mendis 93, Kamindu Mendis 92 not out, D. Karunaratne 86; Shakib Al Hasan 3-110)

BANGLADESH (1st Innings) 178 (Zakir Hasan 54; A. Fernando 4-34)

SRI LANKA (2nd Innings, overnight 102-6):

N. Madushka c Mehidy b Hasan 34

D. Karunaratne b Hasan 4

Kusal Mendis b Khaled 2

A. Mathews b Shakib 56

D. Chandimal c Shahadat b Hasan 9

D. de Silva c Liton b Hasan 1

Kamindu Mendis c Liton b Khaled 9

P. Jayasuriya not out 28

V. Fernando not out 8

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-1) 6

TOTAL (for seven wickets decl, 40 overs) 157

DID NOT BAT: A. Fernando, L. Kumara.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-12 (Karunaratne), 2-15 (Kusal), 3-60 (Madushka), 4-72 (Chandimal), 5-78 (Dhananjaya), 6-89 (Kamindu), 7-132 (Mathews)

BOWLING: Khaled 11-2-34-2, Hasan 15-2-65-4, Shakib 10-1-39-1, Taijul 4-0-13-0

BANGLADESH (2nd Innings):

Mahmudul Hasan b Jayasuriya 24

Zakir Hasan c de Silva b V. Fernando 19

Najmul Hossain b Kumara 20

Mominul Haque c Kumara b Jayasuriya 50

Shakib Al Hasan c Madushka b Kamindu 36

Liton Das c Kusal b Kumara 38

Shahadat Hossain lbw b Kamindu 15

Mehidy Hasan not out 44

Taijul Islam not out 10

EXTRAS (B-9, LB-1, NB-2) 12

TOTAL (for seven wickets, 67 overs) 268

STILL TO BAT: Khaled Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-37 (Mahmudul), 2-51 (Zakir), 3-94 (Najmul), 4-132 (Mominul), 5-193 (Shakib), 6-197 (Liton), 7-243 (Shahadat)

BOWLING: V. Fernando 10-0-39-1, A. Fernando 12-1-52-0, Kumara 11-2-41-2, Jayasuriya 20-1-79-2 (2nb), De Silva 7-1-25-0, Kamindu 7-0-22-2

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Out of control
Updated 19 Feb, 2025

Out of control

AS bodies continue to fall in Kurram despite a state-sanctioned ceasefire, one wonders how long local militants’...
Hollow words
19 Feb, 2025

Hollow words

IT is not uncommon for politicians to resort to the use of hyperbole in order to boost their public standing. ...
Migration matters
19 Feb, 2025

Migration matters

THE grass, it seems, did appear greener on the other side to millions of people as evidenced by the latest UN ...
Cholistan project
Updated 18 Feb, 2025

Cholistan project

GPI goals align with Pakistan's broader economic aims but the manner in which the initiative was launched raises questions.
Right to know
18 Feb, 2025

Right to know

IT is an unfortunate paradox that while on paper Pakistan has some of the most impressive right to information laws,...
Dam dispute
18 Feb, 2025

Dam dispute

THE situation in Chilas needs attention and a fair-minded approach so that it can be resolved amicably. Diamer ...