Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim made the most of ideal batting conditions after Bangladesh opted to bat first, sharing a superb unbeaten double-century stand and reaching their individual hundreds on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. Bangladesh finished the day on 292 for 3 at stumps.
The visitors got off to a shaky start as the opening partnership between Shadman Islam and Anamul Haque was broken early, lasting only 4.3 overs for five runs. Asitha Fernando provided the early breakthrough for Sri Lanka, removing Anamul for a 10-ball duck, caught behind.
Shadman tried to hold his end but eventually fell to debutant Tharindu Rathnayake, becoming his maiden Test wicket. The left-hander was dismissed for 14, edging to slip where captain Dhananjaya de Silva made no mistake. Mominul Haque was given a life when Dhananjaya dropped a catch at slip off Rathnayake, but the bowler-captain duo combined again to remove him for 29, leaving Bangladesh struggling at 45 for 3.
From there, it was all about the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, who came together to rebuild the innings with composure and intent. The pair steadied the ship, bringing up a crucial fifty-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Sri Lanka did create a half-chance to break the stand when Rahim attempted a pull shot off a short delivery from Asitha Fernando, but the ball flew through mid-wicket just out of reach of the diving fielder. It proved to be a pivotal moment, as the Bangladesh duo took firm control of the game from that point onward.
The duo batted through the remaining two sessions without further damage, making full use of the batting-friendly conditions. Shanto led from the front, bringing up his sixth Test century — and second against Sri Lanka. Their partnership soon entered the record books as they notched up just the sixth double-century stand for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka in Tests.
Rahim followed suit by reaching his 12th Test century — his fourth against Sri Lanka — showing his love for batting in Galle once again. By the close of play, their unbeaten 247-run stand for the fourth wicket had come off 443 deliveries, putting Bangladesh in a commanding position.
Earlier in the day, Shanto had no hesitation in choosing to bat first after winning the toss. Bangladesh went with two spinners and two pacers, with Litton Das returning to the XI. Vice-captain Mehedy Hasan Miraz missed out due to illness.
Sri Lanka also made a few changes in the playing XI from the Australia series. Lahiru Udara and ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Rathnayake received their maiden Test caps, becoming Sri Lanka’s 168th and 169th Test players respectively. Milan Rathnayake also returned to the side, as the hosts fielded a balanced attack of two spinners and two seamers.
Angelo Mathews, playing his final Test for Sri Lanka, received a guard of honour from his teammates. Ahead of his farewell match, Mathews was honoured with a special presentation by Sri Lanka Cricket. Surrounded by his teammates and joined by his family, the veteran all-rounder was celebrated for his remarkable contributions to Sri Lanka Cricket.
Playing XI:
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk) , Jaker Ali , Nayeem Hasan , Taijul Islam , Hasan Mahmud , Nahid Rana
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kusal Mendis (wk), Milan Rathnayake, Tharindu Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando
Match Delay
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadman Islam | c Dhananjaya de Silva b Tharindu Rathnayake | 14 | 53 | 1 | 0 | 26.42 |
| Anamul Haque | c Kusal Mendis b Asitha Fernando | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Mominul Haque | c Dhananjaya de Silva b Tharindu Rathnayake | 29 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 87.88 |
| Najmul Hossain Shanto | c Angelo Mathews b Asitha Fernando | 148 | 279 | 15 | 1 | 53.05 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | not out | 159 | 325 | 7 | 0 | 48.92 |
| Liton Das | not out | 61 | 84 | 4 | 1 | 72.62 |
| Extras | 12 (b 4 , lb 5 , nb 2, w 1, pen 0) |
| Total | 423/4 (130.2 Overs, RR: 3.25) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asitha Fernando | 22 | 3 | 71 | 2 | 3.23 | |
| Milan Rathnayake | 17 | 5 | 25 | 0 | 1.47 | |
| Tharindu Rathnayake | 44.2 | 3 | 179 | 2 | 4.05 | |
| Prabath Jayasuriya | 44 | 2 | 132 | 0 | 3.00 | |
| Dhananjaya de Silva | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2.33 | |
