Key Points

After a jittery start where Bangladesh lost three wickets inside the first 15 overs, the experienced duo of Shanto (136*) and Mushfiqur (105*) steadied the ship and powered the visitors to a commanding 292/3 at stumps on Day 1 of the opening Test.

Winning the toss proved crucial for Bangladesh on a Galle surface that was unusually benign on the opening day. Despite a rocky beginning — with Shadman Islam (14), Anamul Haque (0), and Mominul Haque dismissed for just 29 runs — skipper Shanto and veteran Mushfiqur combined resilience with attacking flair to snatch back momentum and dominate the rest of the day’s play.

The morning saw Sri Lanka riding high on emotions and early breakthroughs. The day began with a warm guard of honour for retiring stalwart Angelo Mathews, and soon after, Asitha Fernando dismissed Anamul Haque with a sharp delivery that seamed away.

Debutant ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Ratnayake then struck twice across two overs, removing Shadman and Mominul, sparking celebrations in the Sri Lankan camp.

However, Shanto’s response was immediate and assertive. On just his sixth delivery, he danced down the track and lofted Tharindu over his head — a signal of intent and a turning point in the day. From then on, he took particular aim at the debutant, scoring 10 of his 15 boundaries (including one six) off him and disrupting any rhythm the young spinner attempted to build.

Mushfiqur, calm and composed, anchored from the other end. His century, the 12th of his Test career and fourth against Sri Lanka, was a testament to his enduring quality and game awareness. As the day wore on, both batters rotated strike with ease and punished anything loose, with the scoring rate consistently around 3.5 runs per over and climbing to nearly 4 an over in the final session.

Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, despite the early success, struggled to maintain pressure. Milan Rathnayake was disciplined and economical, returning 0/19 from 12 overs, but lacked support at the other end. Prabath Jayasuriya’s delayed reintroduction after lunch allowed the Bangladeshi pair to settle further, and over-bowling the debutant Tharindu — who ended with 2/124 — proved costly as the partnership flourished.

At stumps, Bangladesh found themselves in an enviable position, with their senior-most duo well set and plenty of batting still to come. With the pitch showing minimal turn and bounce, the visitors look poised to bat long and big, putting Sri Lanka under considerable pressure heading into Day 2.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 292/3 in 90 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 136 not out, Mushfiqur Rahim 105) against Sri Lanka

- IANS