The duo shared a 149-run stand for the fifth wicket as Bangladesh seized control on day two of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.
With just 17 runs added to the overnight score, Asitha Fernando provided a much-needed breakthrough for Sri Lanka. Veteran Angelo Mathews held onto a blinder at mid-off after Najmul Hossain Shanto drove uppishly and through the shot too early.
The Bangladesh captain’s fine knock ended two runs short of 150, after facing 279 balls and striking 15 fours and a six. The overnight pair had stitched together a 264-run partnership — the highest fourth-wicket stand at Galle and the second-highest for Bangladesh for the fourth wicket in Tests.
Mushfiqur Rahim was then joined by Litton Das, and the pair continued to frustrate the hosts. Rahim picked up from where he left off yesterday, eventually reaching 150 for the seventh time in his career and the third time against Sri Lanka. Das, meanwhile, brought up his 18th Test half-century — his fourth against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka had their chances to break the stand. A major mix-up between the batters went unpunished, and Litton was dropped on 14 by Pathum Nissanka off Tharindu Rathnayake. As was the case on day one, those missed chances proved costly as the two right-handers went on to build a century stand for the fifth wicket.
Rain interrupted play in the post-lunch session, forcing a delay of more than two hours. Play eventually resumed at 4:15 PM.
After the break, the 149-run partnership was finally broken by Asitha Fernando, who trapped Rahim LBW for a superb 163 off 350 balls, including nine boundaries. In the very next over, Tharindu Rathnayake dismissed Das, who fell just 10 runs short of a well-deserved century.
Sri Lanka staged a late comeback as Bangladesh collapsed from 458/4 to 484/9 by stumps, with bad light forcing an early end to play despite 11 overs remaining.
Milan Rathnayake was rewarded for his persistence, finishing with three wickets in the evening session. Asitha Fernando and Tharindu Rathnayake already shared six wickets between them.
