Marathon stand puts Bangladesh in control in Sri Lanka
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim have stitched together an unbroken 247-run stand to provide Bangladesh a strong platform at 3-293 at the end of the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Shanto and Mushfiqur came together when Bangladesh were tottering at 3-45 and combined for the highest fourth-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in Tests against Sri Lanka, eclipsing the 180-run alliance between Litton Das and Mominul Haque in 2018.
It ruined a strong start for Sri Lanka, as offspinner Tharindu Ratnayake took two early wickets in his Test debut.
Captain Shanto led from the front, dispatching anything remotely loose as he brought up his seventh Test century and remained unbeaten on 136. It was innings laced with 14 crisply timed boundaries and a six, showing the full face of the blade more often than not.
At the other end, the veteran Mushfiqur finally found his form after going 13 straight innings without a fifty. He had a narrow escape when a miscued pull on 25 was grassed at mid-wicket and the Sri Lankans paid dearly. By stumps, Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 105, having carved out his 12th Test ton with just five boundaries.
"I was coming into this game after a lean patch. When you have a long career like me that can happen," Mushfiqur said. "Once I had got a start I tried to cash in and was very happy to end up with a hundred."
The toss had gone Bangladesh's way and although the top order failed, the fourth-wicket pair batted through both the post-lunch and post-tea sessions without offering a sniff.
Sri Lanka handed out two test caps in the first match of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle — 31-year-old opener Lahiru Udara and Ratnayake, the ambidextrous spinner.
"Everyone knew I will be soon turning 30 and that's not the kind of age the selectors look to hand someone his Test debut," Ratnayake said. "I was very happy to get two wickets in the first session but after lunch it was tough work as the wicket had become flat and it was easy for batting."
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim have stitched together an unbroken 247-run stand to provide Bangladesh a strong platform at 3-293 at the end of the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Shanto and Mushfiqur came together when Bangladesh were tottering at 3-45 and combined for the highest fourth-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in Tests against Sri Lanka, eclipsing the 180-run alliance between Litton Das and Mominul Haque in 2018.
It ruined a strong start for Sri Lanka, as offspinner Tharindu Ratnayake took two early wickets in his Test debut.
Captain Shanto led from the front, dispatching anything remotely loose as he brought up his seventh Test century and remained unbeaten on 136. It was innings laced with 14 crisply timed boundaries and a six, showing the full face of the blade more often than not.
At the other end, the veteran Mushfiqur finally found his form after going 13 straight innings without a fifty. He had a narrow escape when a miscued pull on 25 was grassed at mid-wicket and the Sri Lankans paid dearly. By stumps, Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 105, having carved out his 12th Test ton with just five boundaries.
"I was coming into this game after a lean patch. When you have a long career like me that can happen," Mushfiqur said. "Once I had got a start I tried to cash in and was very happy to end up with a hundred."
The toss had gone Bangladesh's way and although the top order failed, the fourth-wicket pair batted through both the post-lunch and post-tea sessions without offering a sniff.
Sri Lanka handed out two test caps in the first match of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle — 31-year-old opener Lahiru Udara and Ratnayake, the ambidextrous spinner.
"Everyone knew I will be soon turning 30 and that's not the kind of age the selectors look to hand someone his Test debut," Ratnayake said. "I was very happy to get two wickets in the first session but after lunch it was tough work as the wicket had become flat and it was easy for batting."
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim have stitched together an unbroken 247-run stand to provide Bangladesh a strong platform at 3-293 at the end of the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Shanto and Mushfiqur came together when Bangladesh were tottering at 3-45 and combined for the highest fourth-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in Tests against Sri Lanka, eclipsing the 180-run alliance between Litton Das and Mominul Haque in 2018.
It ruined a strong start for Sri Lanka, as offspinner Tharindu Ratnayake took two early wickets in his Test debut.
Captain Shanto led from the front, dispatching anything remotely loose as he brought up his seventh Test century and remained unbeaten on 136. It was innings laced with 14 crisply timed boundaries and a six, showing the full face of the blade more often than not.
At the other end, the veteran Mushfiqur finally found his form after going 13 straight innings without a fifty. He had a narrow escape when a miscued pull on 25 was grassed at mid-wicket and the Sri Lankans paid dearly. By stumps, Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 105, having carved out his 12th Test ton with just five boundaries.
"I was coming into this game after a lean patch. When you have a long career like me that can happen," Mushfiqur said. "Once I had got a start I tried to cash in and was very happy to end up with a hundred."
The toss had gone Bangladesh's way and although the top order failed, the fourth-wicket pair batted through both the post-lunch and post-tea sessions without offering a sniff.
Sri Lanka handed out two test caps in the first match of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle — 31-year-old opener Lahiru Udara and Ratnayake, the ambidextrous spinner.
"Everyone knew I will be soon turning 30 and that's not the kind of age the selectors look to hand someone his Test debut," Ratnayake said. "I was very happy to get two wickets in the first session but after lunch it was tough work as the wicket had become flat and it was easy for batting."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
16 minutes ago
- West Australian
Shanto's twin tons as Bangladesh draw Test in Galle
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has scored his second century of the match to help Bangladesh draw the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, while Angelo Mathews brought the curtain down on his red-ball career after more than 100 games for the hosts. Shanto followed up his first-innings hundred with an unbeaten 125 in the second stanza after Mushfiqur Rahim was run out for 49, and Bangladesh declared on 6-285 to set Sri Lanka a steep victory target of 296 runs from 37 overs. Sri Lanka lost a couple of quick wickets before Mathews, a veteran with more than 8000 Test runs to his name, held steadfast with the bat - albeit barely scoring any runs. In the end, Bangladesh called it a day with the score on 4-72 with five overs left. Bangladesh had made Sri Lanka toil on the opening two days, amassing 495 runs in their first innings including 148 for Shanto and 163 for Rahim, with Litton Das (90) unlucky to miss out on a century of his own. What followed was a batting tug-of-war on a placid wicket as Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka piled up 187 runs before Dinesh Chandimal (54) and Kamindu Mendis (87) helped the hosts reach 485 to concede only a 10-run lead at the halfway mark. Bangladesh off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who had begun to extract turn and bounce on a pitch showing signs of wear on the fourth day, claimed 5-121 - his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests - to ensure Sri Lanka could not build a lead of their own. The tourists then roared to 3-177 in their second innings at the end of the penultimate day for a healthy advantage, with Shadman Islam (76) giving them the chance to push for a rare overseas Test victory and valuable World Test Championship points. After showers late in the opening session on the fifth day wiped out 26 overs, Shanto reached his well-deserved hundred and asked Sri Lanka to bat again and attempt to chase down their big target at an asking rate of eight runs an over. Former captain Mathews, who scored 39 in Sri Lanka's first innings, showed resilience in the final session and received a standing ovation when he fell for eight off 45 balls in his 119th and final test. The result was the first drawn Test in Galle for 12 years. The second Test starts n Colombo next Wednesday and the two sides later play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals.
Perth Now
29 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Shanto's twin tons as Bangladesh draw Test in Galle
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has scored his second century of the match to help Bangladesh draw the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, while Angelo Mathews brought the curtain down on his red-ball career after more than 100 games for the hosts. Shanto followed up his first-innings hundred with an unbeaten 125 in the second stanza after Mushfiqur Rahim was run out for 49, and Bangladesh declared on 6-285 to set Sri Lanka a steep victory target of 296 runs from 37 overs. Sri Lanka lost a couple of quick wickets before Mathews, a veteran with more than 8000 Test runs to his name, held steadfast with the bat - albeit barely scoring any runs. In the end, Bangladesh called it a day with the score on 4-72 with five overs left. Bangladesh had made Sri Lanka toil on the opening two days, amassing 495 runs in their first innings including 148 for Shanto and 163 for Rahim, with Litton Das (90) unlucky to miss out on a century of his own. What followed was a batting tug-of-war on a placid wicket as Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka piled up 187 runs before Dinesh Chandimal (54) and Kamindu Mendis (87) helped the hosts reach 485 to concede only a 10-run lead at the halfway mark. Bangladesh off-spinner Nayeem Hasan, who had begun to extract turn and bounce on a pitch showing signs of wear on the fourth day, claimed 5-121 - his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests - to ensure Sri Lanka could not build a lead of their own. The tourists then roared to 3-177 in their second innings at the end of the penultimate day for a healthy advantage, with Shadman Islam (76) giving them the chance to push for a rare overseas Test victory and valuable World Test Championship points. After showers late in the opening session on the fifth day wiped out 26 overs, Shanto reached his well-deserved hundred and asked Sri Lanka to bat again and attempt to chase down their big target at an asking rate of eight runs an over. Former captain Mathews, who scored 39 in Sri Lanka's first innings, showed resilience in the final session and received a standing ovation when he fell for eight off 45 balls in his 119th and final test. The result was the first drawn Test in Galle for 12 years. The second Test starts n Colombo next Wednesday and the two sides later play three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals.
7NEWS
3 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Recalled opener Sam Konstas makes emotional admission ahead of Test return
Freshly recalled Australia teenager Sam Konstas admits his emotions got to him during his bold Test debut, but he has vowed to return a stronger player. Konstas will return for his first Test since the Border-Gavaskar Trophy decider in January when Australia face the West Indies in a three-match series starting in Barbados on June 26. The 19-year-old will replace Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped after being trialled as an opener in the shock World Test Championship final loss against South Africa. Konstas stormed on to the international scene by ramping India superstar Jasprit Bumrah on his way to an unforgettable 60 last Boxing Day. But he was overlooked for the two Tests in Sri Lanka earlier this year, then the WTC decider at Lord's last week. Selectors have brought Konstas back into the fold for the Caribbean tour, planning ahead of this summer's Ashes. 'The emotions probably got to me with the crowd,' Konstas told reporters in Barbados of his whirlwind debut. 'It was good reflecting and having a bit of time off, trying to strengthen my game. 'I feel like I trust people that I work with and they understand my game. 'I'm not trying to prove to anyone how I'm going to play. I just want to be myself and obviously understand when to take the game on. 'It's a dream come true, to be honest. '(To be) 19 years old, playing for your country, travelling the world, getting to experience different cultures and against the best players as well … I'm lucky to be where I am.' Labuschagne makes way for the first time since the 2019 Ashes, paying the price for an underwhelming previous WTC cycle. The 30-year-old was the top-ranked Test batter in the world as recently as two years ago, but has averaged just 27.82 since then. As well as Labuschagne, Australia will also be without Steve Smith, who is recovering from a dislocated finger suffered during a crucial moment in the WTC final. 'Obviously it's a tough team to crack and (it has) got legends of the game in that team,' Konstas said. 'Very excited for the opportunity, and hopefully I can grab it with both hands. 'I've been training really hard and I understand the reasons why they picked (recently). 'I'm just trying to be in the present moment, trying to focus on a few key areas with my batting coach, and feel like I've come a long way. 'Hopefully I can display that in the next few Test matches.'
