By Kasun Rajitha led Sri Lanka to victory on the fourth day with a stellar five-wicket performance, securing a 1-0 series lead with a 328-run win. Bangladesh faced a daunting 511-run target and resumed the fourth day at 47/5. They only managed to add 135 more runs, collapsing to 182.
Rajitha struck early, claiming Taijul Islam LBW just two overs into the day. Though a review against Mehidy Hasan proved unsuccessful, Sri Lanka remained on the attack. Mehidy and Mominul Haque countered with a series of boundaries, briefly boosting Bangladesh’s momentum. Despite their efforts, another Sri Lankan review went in vain.
The partnership broke when Rajitha caught Mehidy’s edge, sending him to the pavilion. Mominul then fought a solitary battle, reaching a half-century despite Sri Lanka’s continued pressure.
Rajitha Shines
Rajitha returned to claim two more wickets quickly, dismissing Shoriful Islam and Khaled Ahmed back-to-back, securing his five-wicket haul. Mominul’s attempt to reach a century intensified, hitting Prabath Jayasuriya for a six and two fours in a single over. However, Lahiru Kumara’s subsequent wicket dashed his hopes, sealing Sri Lanka’s win.
The win underlines Sri Lanka’s dominant display throughout the match, with their bowlers and batsmen outperforming Bangladesh on all fronts. Rajitha, in particular, emerged as the hero, showcasing exceptional skill and control to dismantle the Bangladesh batting lineup. On the batting front, centuries by Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva set a formidable target, laying the foundation for their comprehensive victory. This triumph not only propels Sri Lanka up the World Test Championship standings but also sets a high benchmark for the team’s performance in the series. Bangladesh, on the other hand, faces the challenge of regrouping and strategizing for a comeback in the next match, with hopes of leveling the series.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka280 (Kamindu Mendis 102, Dhananjaya de Silva 102; Khaled Ahmed 3/72) & 418 (Kamindu Mendis 164; Mehidy Hasan 4/74) beat Bangladesh 188 (Taijul Islam 47; Vishwa Fernando 4/48) & 182 (Mominul Haque 87*; Kasun Rajitha 5/56) by 328 runs
