DHAKA – Nazmul Hossain Shanto converted his maiden century to 150 plus while captain Mominul Haque hit his first century on foreign soil as Bangladesh continued to dominate Sri Lanka in the first cricket Test at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
At the second interval of day two, Bangladesh reached 440-4 with Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das in batting with 22 and 15 runs respectively.
Skipper Mominul Haque and Shanto were key in giving Bangladesh the utter control in the match, sharing a record 242-run for the third wicket stand.
Resuming the day on 302-2, Shanto and Mominul started cautiously in a bid to keep Sri Lanka frustrated further. Shanto however reached his 150 with an outside edged four, making him the second Bangladeshi batsman after Mominul Haque to convert his first hundred to 150.
Shortly before that Mominul brought up his 11th and first overseas century. And he had done it in style. As off-spinner Dananjaya de Silva gave some width, Mominul confidently cut it wide of the backward point fielder for his ninth four, which brought up his century off 224 ball.
However shortly after the lunch session, Lahiru Kumara brought the side back in contention, breaking the stubborn partnership as he baffled Shanto with a slower delivery. Shanto by then struck 163 off 378, hitting 17 fours and one six.
Mominul also couldn’t last long too after the departure of Shanto as he was undone by a flighted delivery of Dananjay de Silva, and his knock ended on 127 off 304, which included 11 fours.
Vishwa Fernando had figures of 2-75 while Kumara and de Silva picked up one wicket apiece till this session.BSS
