Sri Lanka are in the box seat to claim a massive win over Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match series played today (24th March) at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Vishwa Fernando who came to the middle as nightwatchman last evening didn’t stay long today as he was caught at slips for just 4 runs.
Thereafter, it was all about Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis, Sri Lanka’s two heroes of the first innings, who began exactly where they left off in the first innings.
After being watchful in the initial stage of their innings, the duo began to expand their range of shots and built a match-defining partnership for the seventh wicket. The duo added 173 runs off 273 balls, helping the visitors take a firm grip on the game.
De Silva went on to score his second century in the game before holing out to mid-wicket trying to put a half-tracker. De Silva, who stroked his 12th Test century, became the sixth Sri Lankan batter to notch up centuries in both innings of a Test match.
Mendis also replicated his captain’s feat to bring up his second century of the game. Mendis, who went on to score his highest Test score – 164, entered his name into record books, becoming the first player in history to score centuries in both innings batting at No. 7 or below in a Test match.
Bangladesh eventually set a mammoth 511-run target and had 13 overs to bat after bowling Sri Lanka out. Sri Lanka carried their positive batting momentum to the bowling as well as they managed to dismiss half of Bangladesh side inside that little passage of play in the latter part of the day.
Vishwa Fernando was the standout bowler for the visitors as he grabbed 3 wickets for 13 runs in his 7-over spell. The other two seamers, Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara, were also disciplined with the ball, picking up a wicket each.
Spectators can catch all the action of the Sri Lanka tour of Bangladesh LIVE on ThePapare TV (Dialog TV Ch No. 63), Dialog ViU app and ThePapare.com.
 at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. ){kind=link}