Galle Test: Nayeem, Shadman put Bangladesh on top vs SL
What's the story
Bangladesh have gained command in the opening Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle, thanks to Nayeem Hasan, Shadman Islam, and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.
The former claimed a fifer as the Tigers dismissed Sri Lanka for 485, earning a slender 10-run first-innings lead.
Bangladesh ended Day 4 at 177/3 thanks to a brilliant 74 from Shadman. Skipper Shanto scored an unbeaten fifty.
The Tigers will enter the final day with a 187-run lead. Here is the Day 4 report.
Match details
Nayeem dismantles SL's lower order
SL resumed Day 3 at 368/4. Kamindu Mendis, who went on to score a fine 87, powered SL past 450 with an 84-run stand with Priyanath Rathnayake (39).
Nayeem's spell was the game changer as the hosts went from 470/6 to 485/10.
Four of SL's six wickets on Day 4 belonged to Nayeem. This was his second fifer against the Lankans.
Kamindu
Kamindu Mendis completes 5,000 FC runs
Kamindu's 87 off 148 balls saw him smoke eight fours and a maximum.
With his 80th run in the game, the youngster also went past 5,000 runs in First-Class cricket.
Playing his 57th First-Class match as per ESPNcricinfo, Kamindu has raced past 5,000 runs (now 5,008) at a stunning average of 61-plus.
No other SL batter with at least 3,000 FC runs averages 60-plus. This was the batter's 24th FC fifty as the tally also includes 18 tons (HS: 200*).
Impressive stats
Kamindu's stellar Test career
Meanwhile, Kamindu has been in phenomenal form in Test cricket as well, amassing 1,271 runs from 13 games at an impressive average of 63.55.
This includes five tons and as many fifties.
During his stay, Kamindu also went past 500 runs (now 531) at home as his average in this regard is 66.37 (100s: 2, 50s: 2).
Meanwhile, this was his fourth 50-plus score across five innings against the Tigers (100s: 2). The tally includes 454 runs at 113.5.
Record achievement
Nayeem enters record books
Nayeem finished with 5/121 from 43.2 overs. As per ESPNcricinfo, he became the third Bangladesh bowler to claim a fifer on Sri Lankan soil.
He has joined the likes of Taijul Islam (5/72 in Pallekele, 2021) and Mohammad Rafique (5/114 in Colombo, 2005).
Hence, Nayeem became the first Bangladesh bowler to claim a Test fifer in Galle.
Career
Fourth Test fifer for Nayeem
This was Nayeem's fourth Test fifer as he has raced to 44 wickets from 13 Tests at an average of 28.52.
Notably, the 25-year-old had not bowled in an overseas Test before this match.
This was also his first Test fifer in around three years. He now owns 11 wickets across three Test innings versus SL at 27.72 (5W: 2).
Nayeem claimed his 18th First-Class fifer as he has raced to 268 scalps at 26-plus.
Information
Three-fer for Hasan Mahmud
Besides Nayeem, pacer Hasan Mahmud also bowled well, claiming 3/74 from 21 overs. This took his tally to 34 wickets from 11 Tests at 29.85 (5W: 2). He now boasts nine wickets across three innings against the Lankans at 25.66.
3rd innings
Strong response from Bangladesh
Responding to SL's score, Anamul Haque (4) and Mominul Haque (14) cheaply before Shadman and Shanto added 68 runs.
Shadman missed out on a hundred, having been dismissed for 76.
However, Shanto (56*) got another potent partner in Mushfiqur Rahim (22*) as the duo saw off the day.
Bangladesh finished at 177/3, having extended their lead to 187 runs.
Shadman
Shadman records his maiden Test fifty vs SL
Shadman's 76 off 126 balls was laced with seven fours.
As per ESPNcricinfo, the southpaw has now raced to 1,149 runs across 23 Tests at 27.35 (50s: 6).
Both his hundreds have come against Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, Shadman is playing his maiden Test against Sri Lanka.
This was his 35th fifty in First-Class cricket as the tally also includes 14 hundreds.