The second and final Test between Bangladesh National Cricket Team and Sri Lanka National Cricket Team kicked off at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground (SSC) in Colombo on June 25, with Bangladesh opting to bat first after winning the toss. However, the visitors endured a mixed day, finishing at 220/8 at stumps on Day 1, leaving the contest evenly poised heading into Day 2.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando, capitalised on the pitch conditions and Bangladesh’s inconsistent batting to keep the hosts in control for most parts of the day.
Bangladesh’s Innings: A Tale of Starts Without Conversion
Bangladesh’s top order failed to build on their starts, as wickets fell at regular intervals, halting any momentum the batters tried to generate. Shadman Islam showed some resistance, top-scoring with 46 off 93 balls, but his dismissal at a crucial juncture once again exposed the middle order.
The innings started poorly for the visitors when Anamul Haque was dismissed for a duck by Asitha Fernando in just the fifth over. Though Mominul Haque and Shadman attempted to steady the innings, Mominul fell for 21, followed by captain Najmul Hossain Shanto who made just 8.
Despite short-lived partnerships in the middle, including a 67-run stand between Litton Das (34) and Mushfiqur Rahim (35), the Sri Lankan bowlers kept chipping away with timely wickets. Mehidy Hasan Miraz (31) and Nayeem Hasan (25) added some crucial lower-order runs, but Bangladesh couldn’t cross the 250 mark.
At stumps, Taijul Islam (9)* and Ebadot Hossain (5)* remained unbeaten, guiding Bangladesh to 220/8 after 71 overs.
Sri Lankan Bowling: Balanced and Effective
Sri Lanka’s bowling attack shared the spoils evenly. Asitha Fernando bowled with pace and discipline to return figures of 2/43, while left-armer Vishwa Fernando impressed with 2/35 in his 16 overs.
Sonal Dinusha, playing a key support role, chipped in with 2/22 off his nine economical overs. Tharindu Rathnayake and Dhananjaya de Silva picked up a wicket each, ensuring that Bangladesh’s batters were constantly under pressure.
Surprisingly, Prabath Jayasuriya, known for his effectiveness on spinning tracks, went wicketless despite bowling 11 overs.
Match Situation and What Lies Ahead
At the end of Day 1, the win probability suggests Sri Lanka hold the upper hand with a 55% chance, while Bangladesh trail at 10%, and a draw remains a 35% possibility. With two wickets remaining in the first innings, Bangladesh will hope to push the total close to 250 on Day 2 and then rely on their bowling attack to bring them back into the contest.
This match serves as the decider of the two-Test series, and with Sri Lanka having dominated the first Test, Bangladesh will be keen to level the series. However, the Day 1 scoreboard suggests they have work to do.
As the game progresses on a pitch that could assist spinners later, both teams will look to tighten their grip. Day 2 will be crucial in defining the direction this contest takes.
