COLOMBO: Sri Lanka鈥檚 bowlers reduced Bangladesh to 220 for eight at stumps on a rain-hit day one of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.
On a track that offered little for the bowlers, it was debutant Sonal Dinusha who stole the spotlight.
The 24-year-old left-arm spinner, thrust into the big league following Angelo Mathews鈥 retirement, returned figures of two for 22 in an impressive debut.
Dinush鈥檚 first scalp was Litton Das, ending a flourishing fifth-wicket partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim.
He then accounted for the prized wicket of Mushfiqur, who had scored a century in the first Test.
Pacer Vishwa Fernando provided useful support to Dinush.
The left-arm seamer, back in national colours after a successful County stint with Warwickshire, removed Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had scored two hundreds in the first Test.
Vishwa returned later in the innings to dismiss Mehidy Hasan Miraz with a sharp delivery that found the edge.
Bangladesh鈥檚 decision to bat first backfired as their batters struggled.
Apart from Shadman Islam鈥檚 patient 46, the top order failed to deliver.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a slow kind of surface,鈥 Islam said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 easy to play shots.鈥
Sri Lanka鈥檚 fielding was patchy in places, but their bowlers more than made up for it, ensuring the visitors never ran away with the game.
Asitha Fernando, drafted in after Milan Rathnayake鈥檚 injury, ably supported Dinusha and Vishwa.
Sri Lanka鈥檚 batting coach Thilina Kandamby praised the team鈥檚 performance.
鈥淰ery good effort by the quicks,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey bowled to good plans and created opportunities.鈥
Bangladesh rang in two changes to their side: Mehidy Hasan returned after recovering from fever, replacing Jaker Ali, while Ebadot Hossain came in for the injured Hasan Mahmud.
BANGLADESH (1st Innings):
Shadman Islam c de Silva b Rathnayake 46
Anamul Haque b A. Fernando 0
Mominul Haque c (Sub) b de Silva 21
Najmul Hossain c K. Mendis b V. Fernando 8
Mushfiqur Rahim c V. Fernando b Dinusha 35
Litton Das c K. Mendis b Dinusha 34
Mehidy Hasan c K.D. Mendis b V. Fernando 31
Nayeem Hasan b A. Fernando 25
Taijul Islam not out 9
Ebadot Hossain not out 5
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-4) 6
TOTAL (for eight wickets, 71 overs) 220
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-5 (Anamul), 2-43 (Mominul), 3-74 (Najmul), 4-76 (Shadman), 5-143 (Litton), 6-160 (Mushfiqur), 7-197 (Mehidy), 8-214 (Nayeem)
STILL TO BAT: Nahid Rana
BOWLING: A. Fernando 14-2-43-2, V. Fernando 16-3-35-2, Rathnayake 16-1-63-1, Jayasuriya 11-0-36-0, de Silva 5-0-15-1, Dinusha 9-3-22-2
SRI LANKA: P. Nissanka, L. Udara, D. Chandimal, D. de Silva, K.D. Mendis, K. Mendis, S. Dinusha, T. Rathnayake, P. Jayasuriya, V. Fernando, A. Fernando
UMPIRES: Alexander Wharf (England), Allahudien Paleker (Bangladesh)
TV UMPIRE: Rodney Tucker (Australia)
MATCH REFEREE: Andrew Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2025