Brilliant batting display from Najmul Hossain Shanto and skipper Mominul Haque put Bangladesh in command on the second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Thursday.
Bangladesh's score read 474/4 before play was called off due to bad light as only 65 overs were bowled on the second day of the Test match.
The visitors resumed their innings on 302/2 with Najmul and Mominul at the crease. The duo stretched their overnight third-wicket partnership to 242. Meanwhile, Najmul also touched the 150-run mark. He played a knock of 163 before he was removed by Lahiru Kumara at a total of 394. Najmul's knock was studded with 17 fours and a six.
After Najmul's dismissal, Mushfiqur Rahim joined Mominul at the crease. The duo had a brief stand of 30 runs for the fourth wickets before skipper Mominul departed after scoring 127 runs. He smashed 11 boundaries in his innings.
Liton Das came in to bat at six. Rahim and Das played cautiously and took the side to the 450-run mark. The duo made sure that the side did not lose any more wickets in the day. Rahim remained unbeaten on 45 while Das is not out on 25.
For Sri Lanka, Vishwa Fernando scalped two wickets while Kumara and Dhananjaya de Silva bagged one wicket each.
The opening day was dominated by the Bangladesh batsmen. Opting to bat first, Bangladesh suffered an early jolt as they lost opener Saif Hassan in the second over. Vishwa Fernando trapped Hassan in front of the stumps as Sri Lanka drew first blood.
But Tamim Iqbal stabilised Bangladesh's innings after the loss of the first wicket, hitting his 29th half-century in Test. Tamim departed after scoring an attacking 90 in the 39th over. There on, it has been all about the Bangladesh batsmen.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 474/4 (Najmul Hossain 163, Mominul Haque 127; Vishwa Fernando 2-75) vs Sri Lanka.
