Showing an unwavering resolve, visiting Sri Lanka kept Bangladesh at bay on Day 1 of the second and final cricket Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.
The visitors, led by its top three batters, compiled 314-4 at stumps to put them in a dominant position. Kusal Mendis struck 93, opener Dimuth Karunaratne hit 86 and his fellow opener Nishan Madushka added 57 to round off the day.
For Bangladesh, fast bowler Hasan Mahmud who made his debut, claimed 2-64 and Shakib Al Hasan, playing his first game since the 2023 World Cup in India, returned figures of 1-60.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the visitors made a fluent start with Nishan Madushka and Karunaratne dealing with the Bangladeshi bowlers with ease to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Madushka drove pacer Syed Khaled Ahmed for a four past point in the first over to justify his captain's decision to bat first.
Karunaratne also began with a boundary when he clipped a full length delivery of debutant Hasan Mahmud past mid-wicket.
Bangladesh bowlers created some chances in an otherwise a barren session but the fielders couldn't hold on to it.
Madushka was dropped on 9 when Mahmudul Hasan Joy put down a straightforward chance off fast bowler Mahmud at second slip.
His opening partner Dimuth Karunaratne was also lucky to have survived as he top-edged a Mahmud delivery but Shakib Al Hasan fumbled it over the boundary line to give Karunaratne a six.
Madushka reached his second fifty off 80 balls, when he punched offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz to mid-off for a single.
Just after completing his half-century, he was trapped run out, giving Bangladesh a breakthrough after sharing 96-run with Karunaratne for the opening stand. Madushka finally scored 57 off 105, hitting six fours.
But Kusal Mendis and Karunaratne further kept Bangladesh at bay, combining for a 114-run partnership for the third wicket.
Karunaratne raised his 37th Test half-century off 93 balls, hitting pacer Khaled a boundary past mid-off.
Hasan Mahmud who bowled some probing spell on debut, finally got the better of Karunaratne for his maiden Test wicket when the batter dragged a length delivery back on to his stump.
However, Kusal who brought up his 18th Test fifty off 87 balls appeared to head toward his 10th century after Karunaratne missed out, what could have been his 17th test century.
But he too missed it. After sharing 53 runs with Mathews, Kusal Mendis was baffled by the turn, Shakib extracted from the pitch. He hit 11 fours and one six in the knock, playing 150 balls.
Shortly after, Mahmud struck again to dismiss Mathews for 23, when he took the outside edge of the batter with a back of length delivery.
Chandimal and de Silva then took the side past 300 and kept them unscathed at stumps.
Sri Lanka brought a solitary change from the team which won the first Test by 328 runs with Asitha Fernando replacing the injured Kasun Rajitha, who took eight wickets in that match.
Star allrounder Shakib and pacer Hasan Mahmud who played 39 white-ball matches for Bangladesh before making his Test debut here, replaced fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam for the hosts.
MSH
