Mushfiqur Rahim’s 163 puts Bangladesh in control of 1st cricket test against Sri Lanka

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Mushfiqur Rahim posted a masterful 163 Wednesday as Bangladesh piled up 484 for nine on a rain-curtailed Day 2 of the first cricket test against Sri Lanka.

Mushfiqur batted for more than eight hours and faced 350 deliveries in innings that blended stout defense with the occasional flourish.

In a post-tea spell Bangladesh lost five wickets for 26 runs, giving Sri Lanka some hope.

Bangladesh has beaten Sri Lanka just once in 26 previous test attempts but is now in prime position to add another victory after tallying its fourth-highest total against Sri Lanka.

On a pitch that’s expected to break up, Mushfiqur combined in two crucial partnerships that wrested the momentum away from the hosts.

The first was a record-breaking 264-run partnership with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who was in sublime touch during his innings of 148. Shanto, though, fell against the run of play — lured into a false stroke by Asitha Fernando and holing out to mid-off, where Angelo Mathews took a sharp catch.

Undeterred, Mushfiqur forged another valuable stand — this time worth 149 runs — with Litton Das, whose shot-making added zip to the innings. However, both set batters were dismissed within nine deliveries just as they threatened to push Bangladesh past 500.

Sri Lanka resorted to bowling a negative line, peppering the leg-side and starving the batters of scoring opportunities. Das was duly dismissed trying to reverse sweep spinner Tharindu Rathnayake — a top edge ballooning to the wicketkeeper.

The old ball started reverse swinging and brought some late success for the hosts. Milan Rathnayake, the bustling right-arm seamer, picked up three wickets in a spell after the tea interval as Bangladesh lost five wickets for 26 runs — a collapse that gave Sri Lanka some hope.

“It’s a tough wicket for the bowlers, but I guess we did a decent job especially in the last hour where we got back into the game with quick strikes,” Rathnayake said. “We have a very strong batting lineup and hopefully we will get a lead.”

Fernando, fresh off a county stint with Glamorgan, returned three wickets as well. Though not operating at full speed following a recent illness, he showed why he’s Sri Lanka’s pace spearhead, mixing up sharp bouncers with pinpoint yorkers to good effect.

Tharindu Rathnayake, making his test debut, had three wickets to his name.

Despite Sri Lanka’s late rally, the day belonged to Mushfiqur, who revels in the conditions at Galle and has tallied 482 runs in four innings at the venue. Only Pakistan’s Younis Khan (497) and Australia’s Usman Khawaja (490) have scored more at the ground among visiting batters.

“Mushfiqur is someone who can genuinely inspire the team,” said Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh catching coach. “Even though he hasn’t been scoring runs in the last few matches, his work ethic, constant desire to improve and the character he consistently shows in the dressing room — these are all qualities you want from a senior player.”

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket