Liton, Shakib lead Bangladesh fightback

Liton Das plays a shot in the morning session of the Dhaka Test on 27 May 2022AFP

Bangladesh have avoided follow on and are fighting to draw the Dhaka Test against Sri Lanka thanks to Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan’s counterpunching partnership, which has helped the hosts head into the Lunch of the final day on 149-5 on Friday.

Liton remained unbeaten on 48 while Shakib completed his half-century and is batting on 52 off 61 balls as the Tigers accumulated 115 runs in the morning for the loss of Mushfiqur Rahim’s wicket.

The partnership is currently on 96 off 153 balls and thanks to it the Tigers now have a slim eight-run lead over Sri Lanka.

Pacer Kasun Rajitha was the lone successful bowler for Sri Lanka in the session.

Bangladesh resumed the day’s play firmly on the back foot after another top-order collapse late on Day 4. The hosts lost four wickets for just 24 runs and ended the penultimate day’s play on 34-4, trailing the tourists by 107 runs.

Mushfiqur Rahim was bowled for 23
AFP

The only ray of hope for Bangladesh was that Mushfiq and Liton, the centurions in the previous innings, were unbeaten on 14 and one respectively at stumps on Day 4.

The duo had formed a 272-run stand in the first innings that shattered many records and kept Bangladesh in the match after they were reduced to 24-5.

But they couldn’t repeat what they had done in the earlier innings as Rajitha went through Mushfiq’s defences in the eighth over of the day to bowl him out for 23.

Shakib Al Hasan completed his 27th half century in Tests
AFP

Shakib, who had claimed a five-wicket haul the previous day, joined Liton at the middle.

Shakib showed intent to score off the poor deliveries soon after coming to the middle, even hitting Rajitha, Sri Lanka’ best bowler in the match so far, for three boundaries in the same over.

Shakib’s confidence rubbed off on Liton as he also came out of his shell and started playing shots when they were on offer.

The fifth day pitch played some tricks in the morning session, with the Lankan spinners, who are yet to claim a wicket in the match, getting the ball to move sharply every now and then. But both Liton and Shakib have looked solid against whatever the Lankan spinners threw at them so far in the innings.

Earlier, Sri Lanka took a 141-run lead in the first innings.