News Flash
DHAKA, June 18, 2025 (BSS)-A collapse just after rain stoppage denied Bangladesh batting Sri Lanka out completely in the first cricket Test on Day 2, which was hit hard by rain at Galle International Cricket Stadium today.
The rain delayed the game for almost two hours and 30 minutes after Bangladesh reached 423-4, with complete stranglehold of the game.
When the game resumed, Bangladesh lost five wickets for 51 runs to reach 484-9 as the bad light forced an early stumps.
Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed for 163, after hitting his seventh 150 plus knock, highest by a Bangladeshi batter.
His dismissal indeed sparked the collapse as Sri Lanka pacer Milan Rathnayake cleaned up the tail to keep the side on course of denying Bangladesh a 500-plus total, which could be a morale booster.
Just after the dismissal of Mushfiqur, Liton Das threw away his wicket, 10 runs short of a century, by trying for a reverse-sweep shot.
Bangladesh resumed the day at 292-3, hoping to extend its domination.
Skipper Najmul HossainShanto 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 highest runs in this wicket for Bangladesh.
Mushfiqur and Mominul shared 266 runs for fourth wicket partnership against Zimbabwe in 2018.
Mushfiqur relied on single and doubles like the previous day but Liton Das got into act 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.
Mushfiqur stayed unscathed and his unflinching resolve saw his go past 150 off 284 balls, unlike Shanto, when he pulled Tharindu Rathnayake for a boundary.
Liton who was playing fluently raised his 18th fifty off 64 balls, guiding the same bowler to mid-wicket for a single.
As both of the batters were on song, rain came to delay the game, which proved to be costly for Bangladesh.
Mushfiqur who played 380 balls in his innings, played a tried shot to be trapped leg-before by Fernando, giving Sri Lanka the opening. He struck only nine boundaries for his epic 163.
By then he and Liton combined for a 149 runs for the fifth wicket.
Just an over later, Liton followed Mushfiqur by trying for a reverse-sweep shot against Tharindu Rathnayake that ended his promising knock of 90, including 11 fours and one six.
Pacer Milan Ratynayake then came to the party to clean up Bangladesh tailing, leaving Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana in the crease.
The duo are yet to score but much will depend on them to take the side past 500.
Two Rathnayake-Tharindu and Milan-and Asitha Fernando shared all nine Bangladesh wickets, claiming three wickets apiece.
