1st Test, Day 3: SL boss the show versus Bangladesh
Sri Lanka are closing in on a win versus Bangladesh in the first Test being held in Sylhet. Sri Lanka, who started Day 3 on 119/5, ended their innings on 418. Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis clocked twin tons. Bangladesh had the impetus but threw it away. In response, the hosts lost five early scalps in a monumental 511-run chase.
SL dominate with a 173-run stand
Sri Lanka lost Vishwa Fernando early on in the morning to be reduced to 126/6. What followed was a 173-run stand for the 7th wicket between Dhananjaya and Kamindu. Dhananjaya started the day on an unbeaten 23 and went on to end the day with 108. Kamindu continued his heroics and his 164 helped the Lankans go past a score of 400.
Dhananjaya smashes 108
Dhananjaya ended up scoring a 179-ball 108 (9 fours, 2 sixes). Dhananjaya, who scored 102 in SL's first innings, put up a batting exhibition yet again. He arrived in the final session of Day 2 with the scorecard reading 64/4. He added 49 runs with Dimuth Karunaratne to take his side past 100. A massive 173-run stand was the major impetus thereafter.
Sixth batter with this record
Dhananjaya became the sixth SL batter to hammer twin tons in a Test. He has joined Duleep Mendis, Asanka Gurusinha, Aravinda de Silva (twice), Tillakaratne Dilshan, and Kumar Sangakkara (twice). He became the third SL batter after Dilshan and Sangakkara to accomplish this feat on Bangladesh soil. With this century, he has raced past 3,500 runs in Test cricket (3,511). He owns 12 centuries.
Kamindu shows his mettle once again
Kamindu joined forces with Dhananjaya at a crucial moment during Day 3 and continued from where he left off in the first innings. It was a knock of substance and character from the middle order batter. He managed 164 from 237 balls, slamming 16 fours and six sixes. Notably, Kamindu ensured SL's lead went past 500. He was the last to be dismissed.
3 successive fifty-plus scores for Kamindu
Kamindu scored 61 on his Test debut against Australia in July 2022, he has now breached the 50-run mark in his first three Test innings. In two matches, Kamindu has raced to 327 runs at 109. He has two tons and one fifty under his belt. In the first innings, Kamindu scored 102.
4,000 FC runs for Kamindu
With his twin tons in this match, Kamindu has surpassed 4,000 runs in FC cricket. He owns 4,063 runs at an average of over 61. Kamindu owns 15 FC centuries in addition to 20 fifties.
What about the Bangladesh bowlers?
Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh. He claimed four wickets to finish with figures worth 4/74. Taijul Islam added one scalp to his one wicket on Day 2. He finished with 2/75 from 20.4 overs. Debutant Nahid Rana was expensive and ended with 2/128 from his 20 overs. Shoriful Islam and Khaled Ahmed scalped one wicket each.
Bangladesh suffer blows in massive run-chase
Mahmudul Hasan Joy was dismissed in the first over itself by Fernando. A poor shot from Joy saw him play all over a fuller delivery. Najmul Hossain Shanto was sent back next. He threw his bat to a wide and full delivery. Lahiru Kumara dismissed Zakir Hasan thereafter. Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Litton Das have been dismissed for ducks. Bangladesh are 47/5.
