KANDY - Bangladesh’s domination over Sri Lanka continued on the second day in Pallekele as Mominul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto put on a record partnership to help the visitors post 474/4 by stumps.
Had bad light not forced play to end early on Thursday, 22 April, Bangladesh may well have crossed the 500-run mark. As it stands, however, the Sri Lanka bowlers have their work cut out on the third day, with Bangladesh looking set to post a big total. Bangladesh resumed the second day at 302/2. The overnight batters Shanto and Mominul showed no signs of slowing down, going another session without losing their wicket. The duo added 76 runs in the first session, negotiating some tight bowling, even as the Sri Lanka bowlers toiled without much to show for their efforts.
Shanto and Mominul went on to register the highest third-wicket partnership in Bangladesh Test history, overtaking Mominul and Mushfiqur’s previous best of 236 runs against the same opposition in 2018. The pair stitched together a monumental stand of 242 runs in 517 balls. Mominul reached his first overseas century, and his 11th overall, with a boundary. However, it wasn’t long thereafter that Sri Lanka had their breakthrough – Lahiru Kumara took a return catch from Shanto, ending the 22-year-old’s fine knock. It was a slower delivery that did in for Shanto, the pitch holding it up just enough to deceive the batsman.
Subsequently, the settled Mominul followed suit, edging Dhananjaya de Silva to slips off one that gripped and turned. With both the set batsmen back in the pavilion, Sri Lanka regained some control in the second session. Bangladesh weren’t done yet. Mushfiqur Rahim (43*) and Liton Das (25*) combined to bring up a fifty-run partnership for the fifth wicket to further trouble the hosts.
The flow of runs was stopped only by natural elements – a bit of rain, and subsequent overcast conditions meant play was called off due to bad light. The third day’s play will commence 15 minutes earlier than scheduled.
BRIEF SCORES:
BANGLADESH 474 for 4 (Shanto 163, Mominul 127, Mushfiqur 43*, Liton 25*, Vishwa 2-75) vs SRI LANKA.
