Bangladesh captain Najmul Shanto's DRS call to review a LBW decision against Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis left fans puzzled on Day 1 of the second and final Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on March 30.
After suffering defeat in the opening match, Bangladesh locked horns with Sri Lanka in the second Test on March 30. After winning the first Test, Sri Lanka chose to bat first and got off to a flying start with Nishan Madushka and Dimuth Karunaratne. They stitched a partnership of 96 runs, which further dampened Bangladesh's bowling efforts after lunch. After Madushka got out, Kusal Mendis took to the field. Mendis along with Karunaratne formed a formidable partnership of 114 runs. Mendis showcased his batting prowess and ensured his contribution was significant for the team. He smacked 93 runs off 154 balls before being dismissed by Hasan Mahmud.
In the 44th over, just before the tea, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam delivered a ball that seemed to angle towards Mendis' pads. However, Mendis adjusted quickly and managed to hit the ball towards the cover fielder.
Shanto opts for DRS LBW Review
Skipper Shanto positioned at first slip initiated a discussion with the bowler and fielders regarding a possible review. While none of them seemed interested, Shanto signalled for a review to the on-field umpire Rod Tucker. The replays clearly indicated that the ball had struck the middle of Mendis’ bat and was nowhere near his pads.
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Although Mendis (93) and Karunaratne (86) fell short of centuries as Bangladesh managed to pick up quick wickets. A top-order batting blitz brought Sri Lanka to 314/4 on the opening day.
Shanto, who recently took over the captaincy across formats for Bangladesh, was leading his second Test. He had previously captained in four ODIs and a single T20I.
Sri Lanka had spoiled Shanto's Test captaincy debut in Sylhet last week with a convincing 328-run victory. Earlier, Sri Lanka had won the three-match T20I series 2-1, but Bangladesh bounced back with a 2-1 victory in the ODIs.
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