Galle (Sri Lanka): Bangladesh rode on the broad shoulders of their veteran Mushfiqur Rahim to pile up a mammoth 484 for nine on a rain-curtailed day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
It is their fourth highest total in the longer format against Sri Lanka.
On a pitch that’s expected to break up, Mushfiqur dug in deep putting together a masterful 163 that lasted more than eight hours. He faced 350 deliveries, blending granite-like defense with the occasional flourish to lead the charge.
The old warhorse stitched together two crucial stands that wrested the momentum away from the hosts. First came a record-breaking 264-run partnership with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who looked in sublime touch during his knock of 148. Shanto, though, fell against the run of play — lured into a false stroke by Asitha Fernando and holing out to Angelo Mathews at mid-off, a sharp catch.
Undeterred, Mushfiqur then forged another valuable stand — this time worth 149 runs — with the free-spirited Litton Das, whose shot-making added zip to the innings. However, both set batters were dismissed in the space of nine deliveries just as they threatened to push Bangladesh past 500.
Sri Lanka resorted to bowling a negative line, peppering the leg-side and starving the batters of scoring opportunities. It was a tactic born of desperation, but it bore fruit. Das was dismissed trying to reverse sweep debutant Tharindu Rathnayake — the top edge ballooning to the keeper.
The old ball started reverse swinging and brought some late cheer for the hosts. Milan Rathnayake, the bustling right-arm seamer, picked up three wickets in a post-tea spell as Bangladesh lost five wickets for 26 runs — a collapse that gave Sri Lanka some hope.
“It’s a tough wicket for the bowlers, but I guess we did a decent job especially in the last hour where we got back into the game with quick strikes,” Rathnayake said. “We have a very strong batting line up and hopefully we will get a lead.”
Fernando, fresh off a county stint in the UK with Glamorgan, returned three wickets as well. Though not operating at full throttle following a recent illness, he showed why he’s Sri Lanka’s pace spearhead, mixing up sharp bouncers with pinpoint yorkers to good effect.
Rathnayake, the debutant, had three scalps to his name, but the biggest letdown was Prabath Jayasuriya. The usually reliable left-arm spinner toiled for 48 wicketless overs, finding neither bite nor bounce on a surface that usually suits him.
Despite Sri Lanka’s late fightback, the day — and perhaps the match — belonged to Mushfiqur. His love affair with Galle continues to bloom, with 482 runs in four innings at the venue. Only Pakistan’s Younis Khan (497) and Australia’s Usman Khawaja (490) have scored more at the ground among visiting batters.
“I think Mushfiqur is someone who can genuinely inspire the team. He’s experienced,” said Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh catting coach. “Even though he hasn’t been scoring runs in the last few matches, his work ethic, constant desire to improve and the character he consistently shows in the dressing room — these are all qualities you want from a senior player.”
“We batted really well in the first two sessions,” Salahuddin added. “We could have done better later. We still have a pretty good total. Maybe tomorrow if we can bowl well, we can actually control the game.”
For a side that’s beaten Sri Lanka just once in 26 previous Test attempts, Bangladesh is finally in the driver’s seat. If their bowlers can now hit the right lengths and apply scoreboard pressure, they might just achieve something special in Galle.
