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Coming from a first Test draw Sri Lanka and Bangladesh lock horns with each other for the second and the final Test on Monday (May 23). After opting to bat first Mominul Haque-led side got off to a horrendous start as Sri Lanka bowlers ripped through the Bangladesh batters and sent half of their side to pavilion for a lowly score of 24 runs inside seven overs on Day 1 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
Kasun Rajitha snared a wicket with the second ball of the match and two in the seventh over to start a session of dominance for Sri Lanka.
Rajitha, who played part of the drawn first test as a concussion substitute, returned figures of 3/15 and Asitha Fernando claimed 2/26 as Sri Lanka’s attack restricted Bangladesh to 66/5 at Lunch on Day 1.
Liton Das was unbeaten on 26 at the interval and Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored a century last week in the series opener, was on 22 in a 42-run partnership that steadily rebuilt the Bangladesh innings.
Rajitha and Fernando removed openers Mahmudul Hasan and Tamim Iqbal for ducks as Bangladesh slumped to 6/2 in the second over.
Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque extended his lean streak to six consecutive single-digit scores when he was caught behind off Fernando for 9 in the sixth over.
And when Rajitha took wickets with consecutive deliveries in the next over, beating Najmul Hossain (8) for pace and then trapping Shakib Al Hasan lbw for a duck, Bangladesh slumped to 24/5.
The sixth-wicket pair navigated 16 overs until the lunch break to slow Sri Lanka’s momentum.
Earlier in the first Test, Sri Lanka recovered from early trouble to hold out Bangladesh and draw the series-opening match on the fifth day on Thursday.
Sri Lanka was 161/6 in its second innings about halfway through the middle session, leading by 93 runs, and saved by Dinesh Chandimal, 39 not out, and Niroshan Dickwella, 61 not out.
Sri Lanka was 260/6 when play was mutually ended 73 overs into the final day at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
The visitor posted 397 before Bangladesh replied with 465, taking a 68-run first-innings lead.
