Bangladesh managed to take two wickets at the closing session on day four against Sri Lanka to keep some sort of hope alive of getting a result from the ongoing Test match at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium Wednesday.
The Lankans finished the day on 39 for two as opener Oshada Fernando was run out after scoring 19 and nightwatchman Lasith Embuldeniya was cleaned up by Taijul Islam during the last over of the day’s play.
The tourists are trailing by 29 runs with eight wickets in hand and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne is still in the crease.
The pitch is still looking a good batting track as there are not that many cracks appearing even after the penultimate day’s closing.
But spinners are getting some turn now which the Tigers definitely want to capitalize on day five morning and produce a stunning turnaround, thus reviving this Test match from a tame draw.
Earlier, the hosts started the day on 318 for three aiming for a big first innings lead.
But Sri Lankan bowlers bowled well throughout the day and maintained good line and length to check the runs.
Well-set Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das started day four confidently and continued batting fluently just like Tuesday.
Mushfiq was 15 runs away from reaching the landmark of becoming the first Bangladeshi to score 5,000 or more runs in Test cricket.
And the experienced batter achieved that feat during the first session.
Both Mushfiq and Liton remained unbeaten at lunch with the former on 85 and the latter 88.
But after the lunch break, it was a brilliant turnaround from the tourists particularly pacer Kasun Rajitha who took two crucial wickets in the first two balls after the interval.
Liton, who was batting so nicely during his 88, attempted a casual half-heated cut shot outside off and just managed a nick which carried to wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella nicely.
He appeared shocked and must be feeling frustrated after missing a century due to poor execution of shot.
Tamim Iqbal was the next batsman to come in as he was retired hurt on 133 on day three after suffering from cramp.
But Tamim’s middle stump was uprooted in the very next delivery as it was a superb incoming ball from Rajitha from round the wicket.
Suddenly Sri Lanka came back to the match well and Bangladesh’s hope of increasing the run rate started to fade away.
Then Mushfiq and Shakib al Hasan built a short partnership but the left-hander got out scoring 26.
Later Mushfiq managed to score his eight Test century before getting bowled by spinner Embuldeniya.
Mushfiq’s gritty 105-run innings was composed with just four boundaries.
Sri Lankan bowlers kept the pressure on Tigers middle- and lower-order batsmen with wickets in regular intervals and eventually managed to bowl them out for 465.
Pacer Rajitha, who came in as a concussion sub, was the best bowler for the Lankans with four-wicket haul while other pacer Asitha Fernando took three.
