Sports Reporter: Mushfiqur Rahim has crafted a superb century after his captain Najmul Hossain Shanto completed his as Bangladesh forged ahead to a commanding position after early losses against Sri Lanka on the first day of the Galle Test.
Bangladesh were 280 for 3 in the 86th over with Shanto (129*) and Mushfiqur (100*) going strong with the daylight dying at the Galle International Stadium on Tuesday. Mushfiqur scraped a single from an inside edge that could have easily hit the stumps, but dashed to the other end with the reprieve to complete his 176-ball century with only five boundaries in a rigorous show. It was also Shanto’s first Test century since November 2023 as he laced his knock with 11 boundaries and a six after the visitors elected to bat. Earlier, Bangladesh were off to an inauspicious start as Tharindu Rathnayake and Asitha Fernando rattled the top order with three early wickets.
Shanto and Mushfiqur then steadied a wobbling innings with deliberation, and watchfully carried the team without further damage into the final session, pairing in a staggering unbroken 193-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Bangladesh went into lunch on 90 for 3 after the veteran duo fended off the first-session blow, leaving the hosts' bowlers searching for wickets. The Tigers won the toss and chose to bat in their first match of the fresh round of the World Test Championships 2025-2027.
Bangladesh did not win a single match in the first iteration of the Test tournament. In the second they won one match but remained at the bottom of the standings. But in the 2023-25 tournament, Shanto’s side beat New Zealand, Pakistan twice, and the West Indies to claim seventh spot. Now the Tigers hope to step up their game and claim sixth or higher on the table.
Bangladesh are without allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the starting eleven due to an illness, fielding four specialised bowlers in his absence.
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