Sri Lanka registered their first points of the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle defeating Bangladesh by 328 runs on the fourth day played at Sylhet International Ground, Sylhet on 25th March 2024.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hasan Shanto won the toss and decided to field first. Sri Lanka got off to a decent start as Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karaunate before Bangladesh pace bowlers reduced the visitors to 57 for 5. Sri Lankan newly appointed captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis produced a superb partnership of 202 runs partnership for the 6th wicket.
Both de Silva and Mendis scored centuries that helped Lanka recover to post 280 in the first innings. Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha reduced Bangladesh to 32 for 3 at the end of day 1. Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Lahiru Kumara took all 10 wickets for Sri Lanka. It was a sensational bowling effort as they bowled out Bangladesh for 188. The left-arm pace bowler Vishwa took 4 wickets while Lahiru and Rajitha grabbed 3 wickets each.
Former Sri Lankan batter Dimuth Karaunate played an impressive knock while the other top-order batters could not contribute. Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis stitched another important partnership keeping the scoreboard ticking and making life tough for Bangladesh bowlers.
Dhananjaya De Silva has been phenomenal in his just second match as Test Captain
Dhananjaya and Kamindu Mendis added 173 runs for the 6th wicket that helped Sri Lanka set up a mammoth target of 511. Kamindu Mendis played a superb knock with 163. Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, and Lahiru Kumara showed their class reducing Bangladesh to 47 for 5 at the end of day 3.
Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, and Vishwa Fernando put on excellent display despite Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mominal Haque’s resistance. Sri Lanka bowled out Bangladesh for 164 runs in the 2nd innings to help them win the match by 328 runs.
Kasun Rajitha was the pick of bowlers for Sri Lanka in the 2nd innings with 5 wickets, Kumara 2 wickets and Fernando took 3 wickets. Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, and Rajitha took all 20 wickets in this test match.
For his 102 and 108, Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva was named the player of the match award.
Sri Lanka climb up in the points table
Before this victory, Sri Lanka played only a test series against Pakistan at home last year losing the series by 0-2. Sri Lanka was last before this victory against Bangladesh. They now move to 6th in the points table with a win percentage of 33.33. Both teams will play the second Test match at Chattogram on 30thth March.
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