On the first day of the two-day intra-squad practice game in Sri Lanka, four Bangladeshi batsmen scored a half-century each. At the end of the day, Tamim Iqbal-led Team Red scored 314 for six in 79.2 overs.

For Team Red, Tamim, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim scored a fifty each while Nurul Hasan Shohan posted 48.

Shuvagata Hom was the only bowler for Team Green to take a wicket while the other five batsmen decided to retired.

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“It was tough to bat on this condition, especially, in the first hour of the day. But our openers— Tamim and Saif— batted tremendously. Najmul, Mushfiqur also did well,” Minhajul Abedin, Bangladesh’s chief selector who is touring Sri Lanka with the team, told the media over a video message.

“Bowlers have tried to get adapted to the condition. I believe this practice match gave us some good (opportunity to prepare well). We will get another day of play which will surely help us to prepare properly,” he added.

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Left-handed top-order batsman Najmul said he batted the way he wanted to.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for preparation for us ahead of the main series,” Najmul said. “It’ll be great if I can bat this way in the Tests. We have to adapt to this condition. Bowlers did well in the first 20-25 overs, but after that, it became easy to bat on.”

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The two-match series will begin on April 21 at Kandy. Due to the Covid-19 restriction in the island nation, both the Tests will take place at the same venue.

This series is a part of the World Test Championship. Bangladesh played five matches of this event so far but failed to win any of them. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, played 10 Tests of this event and won only one with six defeats and three draws.