Bangladesh are struggling to avoid the follow on in Kandy, as Sri Lanka's debutant left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, who earlier claimed Saif Hassan and Tamim Iqbal's wickets, removed Mushfiqur Rahim for 40 before the tea break of day three of the second Test.
Praveen has kept Bangladesh on the back foot as the visitors still need 79 runs to avoid a follow-on with six wickets in hand.
At Tea on day three, Bangladesh were batting at 214 for four in 61.4 overs with captain Mominul Haque unbeaten on 47.
Also read: Kandy Test: Bangladesh lose two quick wickets at lunch, Tamim hits 3rd fifty
Tamim and Saif made a decent start adding 98 runs in the first wicket stand after Sri Lanka declared on 493/7. But right before the lunch break, Saif fell prey to Praveen, scoring 25.
In the last over before lunch, offspinner Ramesh Mendis removed Najmul Hossain Shanto.
Tamim, however, was enjoying himself in the middle. He hit his third consecutive fifty in the series off 57 balls and was approaching his first hundred in this series but fell short by eight runs.
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Earlier, Sri Lankan openers – Dimuth Karunarate and Lahiru Thirimanne – hit a century each in the first innings of the match. Oshada Fernando and Niroshan Dickwella also did well with the bat, scoring unbeaten 81 and 77.
For Bangladesh, Taskin bagged 4/127 - his best bowling figures in Test cricket, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam and Taiju Islam took one wicket each.