Dhananjaya and Mendis joined an elite group in Test history, becoming the third pair to achieve centuries in both innings, following the footsteps of the Chappell brothers and Misbah-ul-Haq and Azar Ali.
Bangladesh suffered a dramatic collapse during the dying moments of day three in Sylhet, losing five wickets for just 43 runs in 13 overs before the close of play. This slump came amidst an already challenging situation for Bangladesh, who earlier faced formidable performances from Kamindu Mendis, who scored 164, and Dhananjaya de Silva, completing his second century of the match. This left the hosts with an improbable target of 511 runs to chase.
As a result of this collapse, Sri Lanka now only needs to secure five wickets in the remaining two days of scheduled play to clinch victory. Despite some forecasted rain on Monday afternoon, the weather in Sylhet appears conducive to cricket overall. Sri Lanka finds themselves on the cusp of a resounding triumph.
Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers delivered probing lines on a pitch that still favored quality seam bowling. Vishwa Fernando exhibited significant movement through the air, while Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha extracted bounce off the surface. Vishwa, in particular, showcased his skill, claiming three crucial wickets for just 13 runs from his seven overs. Rajitha and Kumara each took a wicket as well.
However, Bangladesh’s batting also displayed signs of indiscipline. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was dismissed in the fifth ball, displaying rashness by attempting a shot at a wide delivery. Litton Das, who had been keeping wicket all day, fell to an ill-judged shot, attempting a big hit off Kumara’s bowling.
Prior to Bangladesh’s collapse, Sri Lanka’s lower-middle order had once again flourished. De Silva and Kamindu’s partnership significantly bolstered Sri Lanka’s position, transforming it from a precarious one to a dominant stance. Both batsmen adeptly capitalized on the conditions, especially exploiting the aging ball and playing the pull shot effectively.
Sri Lanka steadily accumulated runs, with Kamindu reaching his second Test century and later surpassing 150 with a powerful six off Taijul Islam’s bowling. Despite some missed opportunities, particularly late in their innings, Sri Lanka’s batsmen capitalized on Bangladesh’s lapses. Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs, with Rana proving to be the most expensive, conceding 128 runs from his 20 overs. Mehidy Hasan emerged as the most successful bowler for Bangladesh, claiming four wickets for 74 runs from his 29 overs.
