DHAKA, March 24, 2024 (BSS) - A yet another reckless batting display put Bangladesh on the brink of a big margin defeat in the first Test against Sri Lanka. 

Chasing an improbable target of 511 for victory, Bangladesh were reduced to 47-5 at stumps on Day 3 of the game at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.

With five wickets at hands, they still needed 464 runs for a victory, which itself looked impossible. 

Bangladesh’s highest successful chase in fourth innings in a Test is just 217,which they did against West Indies in 2009 at St Georges. 

The Tigers however indeed didn’t learn from the mistakes in the first innings, when they threw away their wicket in casual fashion by not knowing properly where their off stump was. The batting coach David Hemp emphasized on to fix the things but Bangladesh kept doing the same mistakes.

But it was show of Kamindu Mendis and captain Dhananjaya de Silva who put an indomitable performance to help Sri Lanka close in on a victory.
Both Kamindu and Dhananjaya achieved the record of hitting centuries in both innings of a Test in the process, to bat Bangladesh out of the match.

Kamindu, following his 102, hammered 164 in the second innings before being last batter out while de Silva who also scored 102, followed it with 108 as Sri Lanka compiled 418 in its second innings to extend its overall lead to 510.

It was Kamindu’s second century in only his third innings of two Tests while de Silva brought up his 12th century. 

The duo put on 173 runs for the sixth wicket to put Sri Lanka in firm position.

They earlier combined for a 202-run as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 280 in its first innings, recovering from 57-5. Later Vishwa Fernando took 4-48 to help the side wrap Bangladesh up for 188 in the first innings. 

Fernando was also the wrecker-in-chief in second innings, finishing with 3-13. 

He struck in the third ball and trapped opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy for naught but skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (5) perished to a terrible shot as he edge pacer Kasun Rajitha.

Zakir Hasan started with a brace of boundaries and looked utterly comfortable in the wicket but he too poked a delivery of pacer Lahiru Kumara outside off to be caught by Kusal Mendis on 19.

Fernando then dealt double strike, dismissing both Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Liton Das for duck. 

Mominul Haque and Taijul Islam were batting on 7 and 6 runs respectively.

Earlier, resuming at 119-5, Sri Lanka lost nightwatchman Fernando for 4, in just third over of the day but that was the only time in the session but de Silva and Kamindu then kept the home side frustrated throughout the whole session, keeping the scoreboard going with ease. 

De Silva, who started the day, with boundary off left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, raised his 14th half-century off 82 balls, pushing fast bowler Nahid Rana to third man for a single. 

He then paced the inning, smashing offspinner Mehidy Hasan consecutive sixes – first one with a slog-swept six over deep mid-wicket and then slogged him again at the same region.

He raised his 12th century off 164 balls with a single off Mehidy Hasan Miraz but soon after Miraz got him to end 173-run partnership between de Silva and Kamindu. De Silva, who became the sixth Sri Lanka batter to hit centuries in both innings of a Test, struck 108 off 179, an innings laced with nine fours and two sixes.

Kamindu however held firm. He reached his second hundred and joined the elite list as seventh Sri Lankan batter by pushing Najmul Hossain Shanto for a single off 171 balls in the last over of the second session.

He then had gone strength to strength and put Bangladesh bowlers in sword to milk runs rapidly. 

He brought up his 150 off 228 balls, smashing Taijul for six over long-on. He however kept charging Bangladesh bowler to help the side take the lead past 500 but one shot to many saw him top-edged a Taijul delivery to Mehidy Hasan Miraz at mid-wicket, which ended Sri Lanka’s innings.

Kamindu however clobbered 16 fours and six sixes in his 164 off 237. 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed 4-74 to be the best bowler for Bangladesh while Taijul and Nahid Rana took two wickets apiece.