Test cricket
Bangladesh expect a better wicket in 2nd Test
After drawing the first Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Kandy, the Bangladesh team is looking forward to having a sporting or spin-friendly wicket in the second Test starting from Thursday at the same venue.
The wicket of the first match was flat which made the bowlers toil for all five days. The bowlers were able to take only 17 out of 40 wickets. On the other hand, a total of four centuries were struck in this game with one of those ending in a double-ton.
Also read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka Series 2021: First Test Player Ratings
“I think the wicket of the first Test was a completely flat track,” Khaled Mahmud, the Bangladesh team leader, told the media over a video message. “We hope the wicket of the next match will be sporting or spin-friendly or may be pace-friendly. We expect that the wicket won’t be flat as it was in the previous game. As far as we know, the home team didn’t like the track of the first game.”
Bangladesh played the series opener with two spinners and three pacers in the bowling attack. Taskin Ahmed, who returned to the Test setup after three years, bagged three wickets for the Tigers while Taijul Islam took two.
“It was tough for the bowlers to do well in this sort of wicket,” Mahmud added. “But they worked really hard. Taskin bowled for more than 30 overs. Ebadot (Hossain) and others did well as well. I’m really happy about their performance.”
Bangladesh had scored 541 runs in the first innings of the match which created hope for a win in Kandy. But when Sri Lanka came up with a bigger innings, the hope of a win faded away.
“When (Najmul Hossain) Shanto and Mominul (Haque) were in the middle and we were approaching a big score, we hoped that we can pick up a win in this game if we bowl and field well. We thought the ball might turn on the final day, that didn’t happen.” Mahmud added.
Before this series, Bangladesh played a two-match Test series at home against the West Indies, which the home side lost 2-0. Mahmud said it was tough for Mominul and his team to make a good comeback in Sri Lanka. According to him, a draw is good for the team and they will learn to win Tests playing this way.
Also read: Rain forces early close of high-scoring Kandy Test
“The team was under enormous pressure after losing the series at home. There was a big question about our ability in Test cricket and everyone is eying to this series to see how we play here. I am happy that the guys did well and they gave their hundred per cent to prove their ability,” he further added.
Najmul hit his maiden Test ton in the first innings of the Kandy Test and ended up on 163 while Momimul also hit a ton which was his first away from home. Riding on these two centuries, Bangladesh hoped to seal the game.
“Najmul was brilliant while he was in the field. And we have to talk about Mominul as well. There was much talk about his ability to do well outside the home. He got a ton and proved that he can play well anywhere. Apart from them, Tamim (Iqbal) was outstanding in both innings of the first match while Mushfiqur (Rahim) and Liton (Das) also supported well. Overall, we are happy with the way batsmen performed in this series so far.”
Drawing the first Test, Bangladesh secured 30 points in the World Test Championship. They have previously played five Tests of this event and lost all of them.
Rain forces early close of high-scoring Kandy Test
The Kandy Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Saturday ended as a high-scoring draw with one and half an hour left to play as rain forced an early close.
Tamim Iqbal and captain Mominul Haque remained unbeaten on 74 and 23. Bangladesh were batting at 100 for two in their second innings of the Test in which 1289 runs were scored for 17 wickets.
After the tea break of the final day, the Tigers were unable to take the field. The umpires waited for more than an hour to resume the game, but the rain wiped out the final session of the day.
It was the first draw for Bangladesh in the World Test Championship. They have now secured 30 points for their World Test Championship campaign.
Also read: Tamim hits fifty as Bangladesh take lead
Bangladesh lost Saif Hassan (1) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) at the start of their second innings. But Tamim Iqbal struck his second fifty of the match off 56 balls. He completed his fifty when the team total was 52 and ended the game on 74 off 98 balls with ten fours and three sixes.
Sri Lanka declared on 648 for eight at the lunch break of the final day, securing a lead of 107 runs.
Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva scored 244 and 166. It was the career-best innings for Karunaratne and second-best for Dhananjaya.
Taskin Ahmed was the best bowler for Bangladesh in the high-scoring Test, taking three wickets, while Taijul Islam bagged two wickets.
In the first innings of the match, Bangladesh declared on 541 for seven with Najmul (163) and Mominul (127). It was the maiden ton for Najmul in Tests while Mominul scored his first in an away Test.
Also read: Bangladesh lose early wickets after Sri Lanka declare on 648
Tamim, Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das scored a fifty each for the visitors in the first innings.
Vishwa Fernando was the most successful bowler for the hosts taking four wickets for 96 runs.
Karunarate was awarded the player of the match award for his outstanding 244.
After five days of Test, dominated almost entirely by the bat, Mominul applauded the best performers of his team saying: "I think it was a team performance. Everyone contributed, especially Shanto. Also, the bowlers tried hard, especially Taskin, Miraz and Taijul."
Sri Lankan captain Karutarate said, "We thought the wicket would have good pace and bounce, but in these conditions, with the heat, it was a bit flat. In the final Test, which starts on Thursday, we want a sporting wicket that will offer some help to the bowlers as well."
Tamim hits his second fifty in Kandy Test
With only one session to play in the Kandy Test against Sri Lanka, Tamim Iqbal hit his second fifty of the match and lead of Sri Lanka came down to seven runs.
Bangladesh were batting at 100 for two in 33 overs with Tamim and Mominul were unbeaten for 74 and 23 respectively. The visitors now have to bat at least 35 overs to end this Test in a draw.
The Tigers lost two early wickets as Saif Hassan and Najmul Hossain failed to impress with the bat in the second innings. Saif had suffered a duck in the first innings, and in the second, he returned with one while Najmul had hit a ton in the first innings, but failed in the next as he suffered a duck. Both of the first two wickets were taken by Suranga Lakmal.
Sri Lanka declared their first innings on 648 for eight in 179 overs securing a 107-run first-innings lead. Bangladesh were sent to bat after the lunch break of the final day.
The hosts added 136 runs in the first session of the fifth day. Two overnight batsmen, Dimuth Karunarante (244) and Dhananjaya de Silva (166), were removed by Taskin Ahmed while Taijul Islam bagged the wicket of Wanindu Hasaranga and Ebadot Hossain scalped Pathum Nissanka.
For Bangladesh, Taskin bagged three wickets conceding 112 runs while Taijul took and Eabdot and Mehidy Hasan Miraz scalped one wicket each. Bangladesh removed five Sri Lankan batsman in the first session of the final day with one run out.
Earlier, Bangladesh declared the first innings at 541 for seven wickets in 173 overs before the lunch break of day three.
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque dominate in the first two days as they have struck a century each. It was the first Test for Najmul, and Mominul recorded his maiden century in away Tests.
Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das have struck a fifty each for the visitors.
It was the sixth-highest Test innings for the Tigers, and third highest in the overseas Tests.
For Sri Lanka, Vishwa Fernando was the most successful bowler who bagged four wickets in the batting paradise conceding 96 runs in 35 overs while Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara and Dhananjaya de Silva took one wicket each.
Karunaratne, Dhananjaya send Tigers on a leather hunt
Bangladesh spent an entire day on the field but failed to take a wicket as hosts Sri Lanka piled on the runs in Kandy on day 4, before bad light stopped play in the first Test.
The Tigers bowled 76 overs on Saturday and conceded 283 runs. An earlier stoppage together with the early call of stumps meant 14 overs were lost. Still it was the fourth time that Bangladesh spent an entire day on the field without a wicket coming their way. Conversely, it was the sixth instance of Sri Lanka batting an entire day without losing a wicket.
Or put another way, the same two batsmen who walked on to the field at the start of the day's play walking off with their wickets intact at stumps. For the fourth wicket, Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne and all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva have now posted 322 runs. At the end of day four, Karunarate remained unbeaten on a career-best 234, while Dhananjaya was batting at 154.
Also read: Karunaratne, de Silva continue to trouble Bangladesh
Bangladesh's lead has now come down to 29 runs and would easily have been erased in all likelihood, if the overs weren't lost. At one point there was even talk of the Sri Lankan captain eyeing a daring declaration with any sort of lead, to give the Bangladesh openers a short, uncomfortable period to survive on the fourth day itself.
Now the islanders might try to score some quick runs in the fifth morning and test Bangladesh's nerves in the last two sessions.
Sri Lanka make steady progress against Bangladesh's 541
Sri Lanka have responded well to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 541 in the Kandy Test, scoring 229 for three in 73 overs in the Kandy Test.
At the end of day three on Friday, captain Dimuth Karunaratne and all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva were batting at 85 and 26. Sri Lanka are trailing by 312 runs with two days to left play.
The Lankans started well before the lunch break of day three, posting 114 runs in the first wicket stand, thanks to 58 off Lahiru Thirimanne.
For Bangladesh, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam and Taskin Ahmed bagged one wicket each.
Earlier, the Tigers declared the first innings at 541/7 in 173 overs before the lunch break of day three. This is the sixth-highest Test innings for the Tigers and the third-highest in overseas Tests.
Also read: Kandy Test: Bangladesh declare posting a mammoth score
Both overnight batsmen, Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das scored a 50 each. Liton fell prey to Vishwa Fernando, for 50, Mushfiqur remained unbeaten on 68.
After Liton's dismissal, Bangladesh lost Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam in quick succession. Taskin Ahmed came to bat at number nine and remained not-out for six.
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque dominated the first two days of the game, hitting a 100 each. It was the first Test 100 for Najmul, and Mominul recorded his maiden century in away Tests.
Also, Tamim Iqbal set the tone for Bangladesh's innings, scoring 90 runs.
For Sri Lanka, Vishwa Fernando was the most successful bowler who bagged four wickets in the batting paradise, conceding 96 runs in 35 overs, while Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara and Dhananjaya de Silva took one wicket each.
Ban v SL: Domingo expects quick runs on third morning
Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo says he is expecting some quick runs on the morning of the third day of Kandy Test to put more pressure on hosts Sri Lanka.
The play of the second day ended early due to bad light when Bangladesh were batting at 474 for four, with Mushfiqur Rahim (43*) and Liton Das (25*) at the crease.
“We’ll discuss it (how many runs are safe) overnight but we need to get some quick runs tomorrow morning,” Domingo told the media through a virtual press conference at the end of day two. “If we can get around 520, it gives us a good opportunity to put them under some pressure.”
Also read: Ban v SL Day 2: Tigers 474/4 at stumps
Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque have struck centuries. While it was the maiden ton for Najmul, Mominul recorded his first in away Tests. Domingo lauded both for their performance.
“I think there’s been a lot of discussion about how he goes about his innings. Being a bit more patient, leaving a few more balls, cutting out certain scoring areas. He has played a fantastic innings. I’m really pleased with him. He’s worked really hard on his game in the last couple of months,” Domingo said about Shanto.
“I think Mominul understands his game really well. He’s a very calm person. I think his demeanour lends him to be a very organised Test batsman. He’s meticulous in his preparation. I think he’s a fantastic Test batsman and he’s trying his best to lead the side. He got a hundred against the West Indies, and followed up with a hundred here again,” Domingo said.
Also read: Mominul scores first century on foreign soil
The wicket of Kandy is mostly friendly to the batsmen. In the first two days, bowlers hardly got anything from the wicket.
“Winning the Test is a long way away. It’s not something we’re thinking about at the moment. Our main focus is to play well in the first session tomorrow. There’s a lot of hard work ahead of us to even consider thinking of winning this Test,” Domingo added.
Ban v SL Day 2: Tigers 474/4 at stumps
Bangladesh scored a massive 474/4 in 155 overs at the end of day 2 of the Kandy Test against Sri Lanka.
The umpires called the second day after keeping the game stopped for more than an hour due to bad light.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das were unbeaten for 43 and 25 respectively.
The sky was dark at local time 4pm when the batsmen returned to the dressing room due to the bad light and waited for more than an hour for the game to resume. The umpires called it a day at local time 5pm.
Sri Lankan bowlers were disciplined on day two and kept the run rate lower than the previous day. Despite that, Bangladesh's superb batting performance have put them in the driving seat.
Najmul Hossain Shanto hit his maiden ton (163) while Mominul Haque fell for 127, his first century on foreign soil.
Also read: Mominul scores first century on foreign soil
The 242-run partnership between Najmul and Mominul is now the highest third-wicket stand for Bangladesh in Tests.
Najmul prodded a return catch to Lahiru Kumara to get dismissed while Mominul tried to drive off Dhananjaya de Silva away from his body with an angled bat but ended up giving a catch to Lahiru Thirimanne at the first slip.
On day one, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. They lost opener Saif Hassan in the second over of the match. But the visitors recovered from the initial damage as Tamim Iqbal and Najmul put up a 144-run partnership in the second wicket stand.
This series is part of the World Test Championship. Bangladesh have played five matches of this event and failed to win any of them. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, played 10 matches -- one win, six losses and three draws.
Bangladesh played a total of 12 matches in Sri Lanka and won one of them in 2017 which was Bangladesh’s last overseas Test win to date.
BD v SL: Najmul eyes to bat longer in Kandy Test
Bangladesh top-order batsman Najmul Hossain Shanto said they are looking forward to batting longer to ensure a commanding position for the Tigers in the Kandy Test against Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh won the toss on Wednesday and opted to bat first in the first Test of the two-match series. They accumulated 302 runs for two wickets at the end of the day thanks to the maiden ton by Najmul (126*).
“It’s too early to think about the result of this game,” Najmul told a virtual press conference after day’s play. “It’s just day one. The longer we can bat, the more control we’ll have in this game. We’re looking forward to batting for a long time.”
Najmul came to the national set-up playing at all stages of the development group of Bangladesh cricket. But he disappointed with the bat in six Tests that he played so far. Najmul, however, played well at the domestic circuit.
“I had nothing to prove,” Najmul added. “I’ve worked so hard over the last four-five months. So I believed that I score at any moment. I was relaxed at the wicket. I just wanted to stay calm and keep enjoying my batting which eventually resulted in a good way.”
Also read: BD v SL: Najmul hits maiden Test ton as Tigers take control
Bangladesh lost the right-handed opener, Saif Hassan, off the last ball of the second over of the match which forced Najmul to come to bat early in the morning. He took it as an opportunity and batted through almost the entire day.
The 22-year-old batsman has credited Tamim Iqbal for his success. He said: “It was tough to bat in the first session as there was some movement. Tamim told me to stay calm and play carefully. He also said the wicket is good to bat. Tamim batted well which helped me to take some time and get adapted.”
Najmul partnered with Tamim in the second wicket to post 144 runs, and he accompanied Mominul Haque in the third wicket to add 150 runs on the board – the highest third-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in away Tests.
“I didn’t think much about how many balls I faced or how many runs I scored. We were focused to make big partnerships. We took one step at a time which helped to come up with the big partnerships. Now the next session is very important for us. If we can play well in the first session, it’ll help us to understand how many runs we need to in the first innings and after that, we may think about winning this game,” Najmul added.
BD v SL: Najmul hits maiden Test ton as Tigers take control
Najmul Hossain Shanto registered his maiden Test century on Wednesday as Bangladesh took control of Kandy Test against Sri Lanka.
At the end of the first day’s play, Tigers had amassed 302 for two wickets. Najmul and Mominul Haque were unbeaten for 126 and 64 respectively. Najmul hit 14 fours and one six while Mominul scored six fours.
Bangladesh captain Mominul won the toss and opted to bat first. The decision proved to be right despite losing Saif Hassan in the second over of the innings.
After Saif’s dismissal, Najmul came and batted with great discipline through almost the entire day. He partnered with Tamim in the second wicket to post a partnership of 144 runs.
Najmul accompanied Mominul in the third wicket stand, which was impregnable at the end of the day, to add 150 runs. It is now the highest third-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in away Tests. They still have a good chance to make it even bigger.
Bangladesh to rely more on pacers in Sri Lanka Tests
Bangladesh’s captain Mominul Haque has said they are going to rely on the pace bowling attack more in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.Mominul appeared in the pre-series press conference virtually on Tuesday afternoon before the squad was announced. It is an unusual practice for a Test captain to face the media before an event without knowing which team he will lead.
Also Read: Bangladesh-Sri Lanka two-match Test Series begins WednesdayBangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) previously announced a 21-member preliminary squad for this series. After the pre-event press conference, BCB announced a 15-member squad for the first Test including uncapped pacer Shoriful Islam who played only eight First-class matches and grabbed 22 wickets.
In the last five years, Bangladesh won only one overseas Test which was against Sri Lanka in 2017. Bangladesh captain said they are confident to replicate that performance in this series and to do that, they are relying more on the pace attack.“We'll field a pacer-dominated bowling attack in this Test,” Mominul said in the pre-series virtual press conference. “I don’t think it'll reduce our chance to win the match. We've a reliable pace bowling attack consisting of experienced and new guys.
Also Read: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka: Recap of the Key Test Records
“The bowlers who proved themselves earlier— like Abu Jayed, Eabadot (Hossain) and Taksin (Ahmed)-- will get a chance in this series. Apart from them, Shoriful and other new pacers are also reliable.”It has been more than eight years since a Bangladeshi pacer recorded a five-wicket haul in Tests— Robiul Islam bagged five for 85 against Zimbabwe in Harare in April 2013. After that, no Bangladesh pacer was able to win a Test for the team.Bangladesh included Shohidul Islam and Mukidul Islam in the preliminary squad, who impressed in the first two rounds of the National Cricket League (NCL) which is on hold due to Covid-19 outbreak. However, they were not considered for the first Test.
Also Read:Tigers reach Kandy for Sri Lanka Tests
Most of the members of the 15-strong squad came to this series without playing a longer version game after the home series against the Caribbean at home. However, the other members, including captain Mominul, played two matches in the NCL.Despite their lean show in overseas Tests for a long time, Mominul said they feel no pressure ahead of a new series outside their home backyard.
The Bangladesh captain said: “We're not under any pressure. We came here to play and win. We know that we failed to do well in the last two Tests at home. Despite that, we're confident of doing well in this series. We just have to focus on our game and play well in every session of the game.“We had a bad tour in New Zealand where we played six matches and lost all of them. But the condition is different here in Sri Lanka— it’s similar to Bangladesh. So we're confident of playing a good brand of cricket.”Bangladesh will miss the service of Shakib Al Hasan in this series as he is busy playing Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders. Along with him, pacer Mustafizur Rahman is also out of the Test set-up as he is also playing IPL.“Shakib is crucial for every team. He is the number one all-rounder. It’s tough for us to set up a combination without him. We'll surely miss his service. But I think it’s a good chance for the guys who'll get in to replace him to do well and prove their mettle,” Mominul said.Both matches of this series will take place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.Bangladesh squad for the first Test: Mominul Haque (Captain), Litton Das, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Shadman Islam, Abu Jayed Rahi, Taijul Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Saif Hassan, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Shoriful Islam.