Image Credit- Getty
A formidable
first-inning total of 531 was amassed by Sri Lanka as they batted out almost
the whole of the second day in Chattogram, with to the contributions of Dinesh
Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Kamindu Mendis, who joined the trio of
half-centurions from the first Test.
In the process, they also achieved a record that surpassed India’s 1976
performance of 524 for 9 declared against New Zealand, becoming the highest
total in a Test innings without a single century. At 92 not out, Kamindu Mendis
tied Javed Miandad for the most runs in a career’s first four innings with 419.
Bangladesh, who were
required to bat for somewhat more than an hour prior to stumps, mostly handled
it pretty easily as openers Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan scored freely.
If Lahiru Kumara hadn’t struck back sharply from outside off to scythe through
Joy and clip the bails, they too would have lost wicket.
Bangladesh finished the day at 55 for 1 in 15 overs thanks to the heroics of
Zakir Hasan and nightwatcher Taijul Islam, who kept things from getting worse.
The story of the day though was about the Sri Lanka batters. It took Bangladesh
159 overs to bowl out the visitors, roughly an hour into the final session.
Shakib Al Hasan ended with figures of 3 for 110, along with two for debutant
Hasan Mahmud and one apiece for Khaled Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan Miraz.