Bangladesh face huge defeat against Sri Lanka in first Test

|| CF DESK ||

Kasun Rajitha showcased his prowess once again, clinching his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket as Sri Lanka asserted dominance over Bangladesh, securing a resounding 328-run victory in Sylhet. This triumph propels Sri Lanka to a 1-0 lead in the enthralling two-match series.

In a gripping display of bowling finesse, the Sri Lankan visitors wrote Bangladesh's downfall, bundling them out for a mere 182 runs in their second innings post-lunch on the fourth day. Rajitha's stellar performance saw him scalping 5 wickets for 56 runs, leaving the Bangladeshi batting line-up in tatters.

The ever-resilient Mominul Haque, Bangladesh's overnight batter, exhibited remarkable grit with an unbeaten knock of 87 runs, momentarily delaying the inevitable. However, Lahiru Kumara (2-39) delivered the final blow, claiming the last wicket and sealing Sri Lanka's emphatic victory.

Rajitha's brilliance was evident as he dismantled Bangladesh's batting order early on, dismissing Taijul Islam in the third over of the morning session. Mominul, displaying commendable determination, stitched together a gritty 66-run partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the seventh wicket before Rajitha struck again, ending Mehidy's resistance at 33 runs.

The climax of Rajitha's spell came after the break when he snatched the wickets of Shoriful Islam (12) and Khaled Ahmed (zero) off consecutive deliveries, completing his five-wicket haul in style. Vishwa Fernando also played a pivotal role for Sri Lanka, chipping in with 3 crucial wickets for a mere 36 runs, as the pacemen accounted for all 20 wickets in the match.

The stage was set for Bangladesh as Taijul and Mominul resumed their innings at 47-5, but the Sri Lankan bowlers proved too formidable, wreaking havoc on the home team's aspirations.

Sri Lanka's first-innings total of 280 was met with Bangladesh's response of 188 runs. However, the visitors surged ahead with a commanding second-innings score of 418, fueled by centuries from Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis, marking only the third instance in Test history where teammates achieved centuries in both innings of a match, joining the esteemed ranks of Australia's Chappell brothers and Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali.

With a record of never having lost a Test series in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka stands poised for the upcoming showdown in Chittagong on March 30, aiming to clinch the series.