COLOMBO: Sri Lanka completed a thumping innings and 78-run victory over Bangladesh before lunch on day four of the second Test in Colombo on Saturday, wrapping up the two-match series 1-0.
Resuming the day on a precarious 115-6, the tourists still trailed by 97 runs and needed a minor miracle to avoid an innings defeat.
Any hopes of a rearguard were dashed almost immediately.
Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, under the pump after a wicketless outing in the first innings, struck gold with the fifth ball of the morning as Liton Das edged behind to wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis for 14.
With that scalp, the last recognised batter was back in the hut and Bangladesh’s house of cards came tumbling down soon after, all out for 133.
It was a clinical all-round performance by hosts Sri Lanka, who walked away with crucial World Test Championship points.
“There was a difference between [the] two matches … that’s a good morale booster for us, losing the toss and putting the opposition under pressure,” Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
None of the visiting batters managed to cross fifty in the match — a far cry from the first Test in Galle, which ended in a draw when captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hit twin centuries.
Bangladesh had won the toss on a docile Colombo pitch but squandered the advantage, bundled out for 247. Sri Lanka replied in commanding fashion, piling on 458 to take a hefty 211-run lead.
The foundation was laid by a masterclass from opener Pathum Nissanka, who crafted a fluent 158 — his second successive century in the series — while Dinesh Chandimal chipped in with a polished 93.
The pair added 194 runs for the second wicket, putting the game firmly in Sri Lanka’s control.
Bangladesh threatened briefly when the second new ball brought them three quick wickets, but Kusal steadied the ship with a counterattacking 84, ensuring the hosts didn’t let the momentum slip.
Nissanka, who was declared man-of-the-match, said he was “very pleased with the effort”.
“It feels good to contribute. I am now the senior opener with Dimuth Karunaratne retired and I try to do my best for the team,” he said.
On the other hand, Najmul called it a “very disappointing game”.
“We played really well in Galle but we were not up to the mark here,” the skipper said. “The way we batted in the first innings is when things went wrong for us. A total of 247 was not good on this pitch.
“No harm with the decision to bat first. But the way we got out was very disappointing. One good thing was the way our bowlers kept fighting. That will be one positive we will take from this series.”
Najmul later announced he was stepping down as Test captain.
“I don’t want to continue as captain in this format, and I want to give a clear message to everyone, this is not a personal matter. It’s entirely for the betterment of the team, and I believe this will help the team,” he told reporters.
The two sides now shift focus to the limited-overs leg of the tour, with three One-day Internationals and as many T20 Internationals.
SCOREBOARD
BANGLADESH (1st Innings) 247 (Shadman Islam 46; S. Dinusha 3-22, A. Fernando 3-51)
SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 458 (P. Nissanka 158, D. Chandimal 93, Kusal Mendis 84; Taijul Islam 5-131)
BANGLADESH (2nd Innings, overnight 115-6):
Shadman Islam c Udara b Jayasuriya12
Anamul Haque c Sub b A. Fernando19
Mominul Haque c K.D. Mendis b de Silva15
Najmul Hossain lbw de Silva19
Mushfiqur Rahim b Jayasuriya26
Liton Das c Kusal Mendis b Jayasuriya14
Mehidy Hasan lbw T. Rathnayake11
Nayeem Hasan st K. Mendis b Jayasuriya5
Taijul Islam c & b Jayasuriya6
Ebadot Hossain lbw T. Rathnayake6
Nahid Rana not out0
EXTRAS0
TOTAL (all out, 44.2 overs) 133
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-31 (Anamul), 2-31 (Shadman), 3-63 (Mominul), 4-70 (Najmul), 5-100 (Mushfiqur), 6-115 (Mehidy), 7-117 (Liton), 8-124 (Nayeem), 9-129 (Taijul)
BOWLING: A. Fernando 8-1-22 1; V. Fernando 6-3-16-0; Jayasuriya 18-2-56-5; de Silva 4-1-13-2; Dinusha 3-1-7-0; T. Rathnayake 5.2-0-19-2
RESULT: Sri Lanka won by an innings and 78 runs.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Pathum Nissanka
SERIES: Sri Lanka won two-match series 1-0.
MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Pathum Nissanka
