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In the first Test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Galle, Bangladesh finished the opening day in a commanding position, thanks to twin centuries by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran Mushfiqur Rahim. At stumps, Bangladesh reached 292 for 3 in 90 overs, with Shanto unbeaten on 136 and Mushfiqur on 105. Their 247-run partnership for the fourth wicket is Bangladesh’s second-highest in Tests for that wicket and sixth-highest overall.
The day began with early setbacks for Bangladesh, losing three wickets for just 45 runs. Enamul Haque Bijoy was dismissed for a duck, followed by Mominul Haque (29) and Sadman Islam (14). However, Shanto and Mushfiqur steadied the innings with a match-defining partnership. While Shanto played aggressively when needed, Mushfiqur adopted a cautious approach, prioritizing singles over boundaries, reaching his century off 176 balls with just five fours.
Shanto’s century, his sixth in Tests, came after a gap of one and a half years, while Mushfiqur’s 12th Test ton was his first in nine months. Having faced criticism and retired from ODIs earlier this year, Mushfiqur’s resilient knock reaffirmed his importance in the Test format. For Sri Lanka, debutant spinner Tharindu Ratnanayake claimed two wickets, and Asitha Fernando took one.
With this strong foundation in the new cycle of the World Test Championship, Bangladesh will look to build a massive total on Day 2.
AI/MR
