Despite the early departure of the skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh kept the stranglehold, reaching 383-4 at lunch on Day 2 of the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle International Cricket Stadium today, Wednesday.
Shanto missed out on his second 150-plus score, having been dismissed for 148 after adding 12 runs to his overnight total.
Another overnight batter Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das, who joined after the fall of Najmul Hossain Shanto, kept runs flowing with ease to keep Bangladesh unscathed till lunch.
Mushfiqur was batting on 141 with Liton Das, who counterattacked right from the outset, on 43 at the first interval of the day, adding 74 runs in an unbroken fifth wicket stand.
Resuming at 292-3, Shanto whipped Asitha Fernando nonchalantly for a mid-wicket boundary in the third over of the day, making a statement that Bangladesh would dominate the day once again.
The skipper indeed scored runs with ease until Fernando undid him with a slower delivery in the seventh over after he hit 15 fours and one six for his 279 ball-148.
Shanto’s dismissal brought an end to the fourth wicket partnership in which he and Muishfiqur added 264 runs, just three short of the highest runs in this wicket for Bangladesh.
Mushfiqur and Mominul shared 266 runs for the fourth wicket partnership against Zimbabwe in 2018.
Mushfiqur relied on singles and doubles like the previous day but Liton Das got into action immediately, coming down heavily on the Lankan bowlers as the pitch seemed to have completely eased out.
Liton was dropped on 14 when Pathum Nissanka failed to hold on to a catch at mid-wicket off Tharindu Rathnayake. Liton thereafter hit three boundaries in a row to pay them heavily for the miss.