Bangladesh battle to avoid defeat

Sports Reporter :
Bangladesh Cricket team are struggling to avoid defeat in the second Test against Sri Lanka Cricket team as the hosts scored 268 for the loss of seven wickets on the fourth day at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Tuesday.

Bangladesh need more 243 runs to win on the fifth and final day.

Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka piled up a mammoth total of 531 in the first innings on the second day (Sunday).

In reply, Bangladesh scored 178 in the first innings on the third day (Monday).

Sri Lanka declared their second innings making 157 for the loss of seven wickets on the fourth day and set a target of 511 runs to win for Bangladesh in the second innings.

Sri Lanka resumed their second innings with the over-night score of 102 for the loss of six wickets.

Angelo Mathews and Prabath Jayasuriya resumed their second innings with the over-night score of 39 runs and three runs respectively.

Mathews hit a remarkable 56. He hit five fours in his 74-ball innings before he was bowled out by Shakib Al Hasan when Sri Lanka’s score was 132 for the loss of seven wickets.

Bangladesh had a modest start with two openers Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan put on together 37 runs in the opening stand before Mahmudul Hasan Joy (24) was bowled out by Prabath Jayasuriya.

Zakir Hasan (19) was caught at the slip by Dhananjaya de Silva off Vishwa Fernando when the hosts’ score was 51 for the loss of two wickets.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque built a worthy partnership scoring together 43 runs in the third wicket partnership before Shanto (20) was bowled out by Lahiru Kumara when the Tigers’ total was 94 for the loss of three wickets.
Mominul Haque and Shakib Al Hasan contributed together 38 runs for the fourth wicket partnership before Mominul was caught at the deep square leg by Kumara off Prabath Jayasuriya when Bangladesh’s score was 132 for the loss of four wickets.

Mominul hit an exact 50. His 56-ball innings had eight fours and a sixer. It is Mominul’s 18th half century in Test cricket.

After Mominul’s dismissal, Shakib and Litton Das contributed together 61 runs in the five-wicket stand before Shakib was caught at the gully by KNM Fernando off Kmindu Mendis when the home side’s total was 193 for the loss of five wickets.

Shakib scored 36 from 53 deliveries featuring three fours.

Litton was caught behind by Kusal Mendis off Kumara when Bangladesh’s score was 197 for the loss of six wickets.

Litton made 38 from 72 balls including four fours.

Shahadat Hossain Dipu and Mehidy Hasan Miraz added together 46 runs for the seventh wicket partnership before Dipu (15) was trapped leg before wicket by Kamindu Mendis when the hosts’ total was 243 for the loss of seven wickets.

Miraz remained unbeaten with 44 runs and Taijul Islam remained unbeaten with 10 runs.

Kamindu Mendis, Lahiru Kumara and Prabath Jayasuriya bagged two wickets each for 22, 41 and 79 runs respectively.