Chattogram Test, Day 4: Bangladesh on top versus Sri Lanka
Bangladesh are on top against Sri Lanka on Day 4 of the first Test underway in Chattogram. Resuming their day from 318/3, the hosts paced their innings to stack up 465/10d. Mushfiqur Rahim shone with his eighth Test hundred. For Sri Lanka, Kasun Rajitha claimed a four-fer. Later, SL were reduced to 39/2 in 17.1 overs by stumps. Here are the key takeaways.
On Day 4, Mushfiqur steered past the 5,000-run mark in whites (5,037). He became the first batter from Bangladesh to have chronicled such a feat. He now averages 36.76 in 81 matches (eight hundreds, 25 fifties). He has compiled 341 runs so far in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23. Meanwhile, Tamim Iqbal has the second-most runs for Bangla Tigers in Tests (4,981).
Mushfiqur kept the score ticking with just singles and doubles. He ran a couple off Asitha Fernando breach 5,000 runs in Tests. Later, he struck a four down the fine leg to reach his eighth Test ton. He was dismissed by Embuldeniya on 105 while trying to sweep a tossed-up delivery outside leg. His 282-ball knock was laced with only four fours.
Starting his day from 54*, the wicket-keeper batter kept the runs incoming at regular intervals. He was dismissed on 88 while trying to hit a needless delivery outside off. Nonetheless, his knock did considerable damage to the Lankans in this fixture. It was his 12th fifty in Tests. He now averages 33.40 against SL. He now has 936 runs at home while averaging 39.00.
Kasun Rajitha finished with the best figures for the visitors (4/60). In 135th over, he dismissed Liton, and a few deliveries later, Tamim, who had returned to bat after being retired hurt on Day 3. Asitha Fernando was his partner in crime, scalping figures of 3/72. Lasith Embuldeniya and Dhananajaya de Silva claimed a wicket each. Ramesh Mendis proved to be ineffective (0/119).
Mushfiqur and Liton added a colossal 164-run stand for the fifth wicket. The hosts had racked up 385/3 by lunch. Things turned sour for Bangladesh when they lost the wickets of Liton and Tamim in the same over. Mushfiqur then forged a 36-run stand with Shakib Al Hasan for the seventh wicket. Later, Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan came up with handy contributions.
Bangladesh looked commanding even at the fag end of Day 4. In the 12th over, Oshada Fernando was involved in a mix-up with Dimuth Karunaratne to be run out on 19. Later, Taijul trumped Embuldeniya (2) getting him out bowled of a delivery that ran past the bat and pad to topple the off stump. Sri Lanka now trail by 29 runs.
