Bangladesh's batting unit produced a good show on day three to post 318 runs losing just three wickets in their first innings replying to Sri Lanka’s 397 in the first Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Tuesday.
Resuming the day on 76 without loss, the initial target from the opening pair Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudul Hasan Joy was to continue their partnership and lay the foundation for the rest of the batters, and they did exactly that in the first session.
Tamim and Joy batted fluently in the morning session and remained unbeaten with good scoring rate.
Along the way they crossed their 100-run partnership during the 25th over of the innings.
A century opening partnership came after more than five years and 61 innings in Tests for the Tigers as the last time a Bangladesh opening pair formed a century partnership in Test cricket was back in 2017.
Tamim and Joy continued their dominance after that and they went for lunch with 157 runs on the board.
But just after lunch Joy’s patient knock ended as he edged a wide delivery outside leg stump to gift an easy catch to Lankan wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella.
The young right-handed batter scored 58 off 142 deliveries with nine fours.
In the next over Tamin picked up his 10th Test hundred with a good-looking boundary followed by a single.
It was a well-deserved century for the local boy.
Then Bangladesh lost two quick wickets as Nazmul Hossain Shanto (one) and skipper Mominul Haque (two) were dismissed.
Both of them got out against Sri Lanka’s concussion substitute pacer Kasun Rajitha.
Three quick wickets after lunch gave Sri Lanka a good chance to bounce back strongly but experienced Tamim and Mushfiqur Rahim handled that period well with good temperament.
Tamim got cramps just before the tea break and eventually could not come back after the interval and was retired hurt.
His superb 133-run innings was composed with 15 boundaries from 227 deliveries.
Liton Das came out to bat after tea with Mushfiq and these two stitched together an important unbroken partnership of 98 runs in the last session to frustrate the visitors.
Liton and Mushfiq played some elegant shots all around the park and both registered half centuries before the day’s play was called off.
Liton was unbeaten on 53 while Mushfiq was batting on 54 at close of play.
Bangladesh are still 79 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings total but they have plenty of batting left as Tamim will hopefully return on day four and Shakib al Hasan is still to come after the well-set Musfiq-Liton pair.
