Hosts Bangladesh are in tatters once again due to a top-order batting debacle in the ongoing series deciding Test match against visitors Sri Lanka at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
On day four of the game Thursday, Bangladesh saw Shakib al Hasan register his 19th five-for in the format and got rid of 10 Lankan wickets.
The success however, had come in the last session of the day after Sri Lanka took a 141-run lead riding on centuries from Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal.
Bangladesh got to bat 13 overs in the time before stumps but that was enough for them to see hell break loose as they got reduced to 34 for four.
Left-handed experienced opener Tamim Iqbal was first to fall, in the fifth over of the innings.
Tamim edged a good length ball of Asitha Fernando, angling away and gave a regulation catch to Kusal Mendis at second slip.
Having got dismissed for nought in the previous innings as well, the occasion is first that Tamim bagged a pair in a Test, and this was his 11th duck in the format.
Sri Lanka made use of the early advantage and pressed on the gas to remove three more Bangladesh batters in next five overs.
Nazmul Hossain Shanto departed on two from a run out following hesitation for a single with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, who also was back to the dressing room just 11 balls later scoring 15.
Joy was fortunate to get dropped earlier in the innings and once Sri Lanka failed to hear snick from his bat but failed to make use of the opportunities.
Before Joy, Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque had walked back to the tent scoring none to prolong his below par form, which the cricketer claims he is not concerned of.
First innings saviors Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das were in the middle when the match officials removed the bails to call it a day.
Mushfiq was unbeaten on 14 while Liton was on one as Bangladesh trailed by 107 runs.
Earlier, Mathews and Chandimal, the two most senior campaigners pulled up a 199-run stand to put Bangladesh in the corner.
The visitors lost their last five wickets cheaply, for just 41 runs, with Shakib stealing the limelight.
Shakib had started the day with three overnight wickets and found two more in Niroshan Dickwella [nine] and Praveen Jayawickrama [nought] in the tail to notch yet another five-wicket haul in Tests.
The ace all-rounder had last registered the feat in 2018 and has the most – three times – against the West Indies, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
The star Bangladesh cricketer has achieved the milestone against all Test playing nations except Afghanistan.
Mathews and Chandimal on the other hand helped Sri Lanka advance and stand in sight of a Test and series victory.
Chandimal was out for 124 off 219 – his 12th hundred in the format, while Mathews remained not out at the end of the innings.
He attacked the Bangladesh bowlers with tail end batters on the other side of the crease, to get to 145 off 342.