Karunaratne resistance denies Tigers' absolute control
Bangladesh failed to take a stranglehold after Sri Lanka, led by its captain Dimuth Karunratne clawed back in style to leave the second Test evenly at the end of day two at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Karunaratne batted resoundingly to score 70 not out as Sri Lanka reached 143-2, cutting the first innings deficit to 222 runs. Bangladesh were shot out for 365 in its first innings.
The Tigers indeed created a record for the highest score in an innings in which six batters got out with duck. The record earlier was belonged to India who made just 152 against England despite its six batters being dismissed for nought.
For Bangladesh, openers Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Syed Khaled Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain failed to score any runs.
Mushfiqur Rahim was key in Bangladesh's revival, scoring 175 not out. Liton Das made 141 and added a 272-run with Mushfiqur after Bangladesh being slumped to 24-5 on day one.
Mushfiqur who showed an unwavering resolve smote 21 boundaries for his 175 not out which came from 355 balls. He stayed in the crease for 526 minutes, which is his second-longest knock in terms of times.
With hitting this superb knock, he had already passed 150 plus for the fifth time, the highest amongst the Bangladeshi batters.
Out of his nine centuries, five now was 150 plus, proving his knack to play big knock when he crossed the century.
Sri Lanka pacers Kasun Rajitha (5-64) and Asitha Fernando (4-93) claimed nine wickets out of 10 with both of them registering their career-best figures.
Rajitha struck in the eighth over of the day, dismissing Liton Das after Bangladesh resumed at 277-5. Liton poked a length delivery to edge behind the wicket to be out on 141 off 246 which included 16 fours and one six.
Three balls later, Rajitha took Mosaddek Hossain for a duck as the batter edged a delivery that moved slightly.
But Mushfiqur remained firm and brought up his 150 from 291 balls, nudging a delivery by offspinner Ramesh Mendis past square leg for two.
Fernando then removed Taijul Islam (15) and Khaled Ahmed (0) to take Sri Lanka closer to wrapping up Bangladesh's innings.
But Mushfiqur though resisted and forced an extended lunch session, Ebadot's dismissal later denied him a well deserved double century.
Sri Lanka made a strong reply with Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando sharing 95 runs for the opening stand.
Both Fernando and Karunaratne rode on luck to frustrate a disciplined Bangladeshi attack which operated tirelessly without any assistance from the pitch.
Oshada survived twice, when on 4, as he reviewed one successfully in the first over of Sri Lanka's innings to overturn the umpire's decision.
Then on 39, a Bangladesh review failed to fetch any successful result when Taijul Islam Islam beat him on the outside edge. It though looked plumb.
Soon after he brought up his fifth half-century off 74 balls, charging Shakib Al Hasan down the wicket for a six over the long-on region.
Dimuth Karunaratne however smoothly accumulated runs when Fernando took Bangladesh attack in disdain.
Karunartne could have gone for 36 had Bangladesh reviewed a leg-before decision off Taijul delivery.
At 37, he survived again as captain Mominul Haque dropped him at square leg off the delivery of the same bowler.
Pacer Ebadot Hossain, who finished with 1-31, broke through with the wicket of Fernando who edged a length delivery to slip on 57.
Just before stumps, left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan gave Bangladesh another breakthrough, trapping Kusal Mendis lbw for 11 and ended day two on 1-19.
Mendis returned to join the side after being hospitalized with chest pains on day one game.
Source: BSS
