Bangladesh Extends Lead Over Sri Lanka in First Test

GALLE: On the fourth day of the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium, Bangladesh established a lead of 187 runs with seven wickets remaining. Opening batsman Shadman Islam and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto both achieved half-centuries, providing stability to the innings.

At the close of play, the visiting team held a strong position with a score of 177/3. Shanto remained not out with 56 runs, while experienced wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim was also unbeaten on 22.

Earlier, Sri Lanka resumed their first innings from their overnight score of 368/4, trailing Bangladesh by 127 runs, with Kamindu Mendis and captain Dhananjaya de Silva at the crease.

The Sri Lankan innings faced an early setback when de Silva (19) was caught out by Nayeem Hasan in the third over of the day.

Another quick dismissal followed as Hasan Mahmud took the wicket of wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis (5), reducing Sri Lanka’s score to 386/6.

Following these setbacks, Milan Rathnayake partnered with Kamindu Mendis, and together they engineered a remarkable recovery.

Rathnayake and Mendis contributed 84 runs for the seventh wicket before both were dismissed in successive overs, exposing the lower order of the Sri Lankan batting lineup.

Mendis scored 87 runs, including eight fours and one six, while Rathnayake added 39 runs, hitting three fours and one six.

Hasan then dismissed Sri Lanka’s Asitha Fernando, securing Sri Lanka’s total at 485 and achieving his third five-wicket haul in Test matches.

In addition to Hasan, Mahmud claimed three wickets for Bangladesh, while Taijul Islam and Mominul Haque each took one wicket.

Bangladesh’s second innings began poorly, with Anamul Haque falling to Prabath Jayasuriya for just four runs.

Shadman Islam then formed a partnership of 36 runs with Mominul Haque, who contributed 14 runs before being dismissed by Tharindu Rathnayake.

With the score at 60/2, captain Shanto joined Shadman, and they added 68 runs for the third wicket before Shadman was dismissed in the 45th over.

Shadman scored 76 runs from 126 balls, including seven boundaries.

Following his dismissal, Shanto and Rahim combined for an unbeaten 49-run partnership for the fourth wicket until the end of the day’s play.

For Sri Lanka, Milan Rathnayake, Tharindu Rathnayake, and Asitha Fernando each claimed one wicket.