Wednesday 25 / June / 2025
COLOMBO: On a rain-curtailed opening day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the SSC in Colombo, debutant Sonal Dinusha announced his arrival in style, sharing the spotlight with a relentless pace attack as the hosts reduced Bangladesh to 220 for 8 by stumps.
Despite a series of fielding lapses, including five dropped catches and a missed run-out, Sri Lanka’s bowlers held firm to dominate proceedings.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat first on what was expected to be a batter-friendly pitch, Bangladesh were left to rue their inability to capitalise on multiple starts.
Six of their batters crossed 20, yet none could convert those into meaningful scores, as a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling unit made regular breakthroughs throughout the day.
The standout performance came from left-arm spinner Sonal Dinusha, who made an instant impact on debut. Bowling three consecutive maidens to begin his Test career, Dinusha removed two of Bangladesh’s most seasoned campaigners — Litton Das (34) and Mushfiqur Rahim (35) — in a pivotal post-lunch spell that changed the complexion of the day.
Litton, who had earlier survived a dropped chance at deep midwicket, perished attempting to cut a delivery too close to his body, edging it to Kusal Mendis, who held on after an initial fumble. Mushfiqur, who was also given a life earlier in his innings, attempted a slog sweep only to find the fielder at deep midwicket — the same stroke that had nearly led to his dismissal before. Dinusha’s figures of 2 for 22 reflected the control and composure he brought in his maiden outing.
The seamers were equally effective. Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando picked up two wickets apiece, consistently maintaining probing lines. Vishwa struck in the afternoon session, inducing an edge from Najmul Hossain Shanto (8) with a well-pitched delivery outside off. Later, Asitha dismissed Nayeem Hasan (25) with a delivery that straightened off the pitch to clip the off stump, moments after a catching chance had gone begging off the same batter.
Among the support cast, Tharindu Rathnayake and Dhananjaya de Silva chipped in with a wicket each. Rathnayake, who endured a wayward morning session, bounced back strongly to remove Shadman Islam with the help of a superb catch by Dhananjaya at cover — a fast-travelling effort that required sharp reflexes.
Shadman, who top-scored with 46, had looked set for his second successive fifty before he was undone by his own shot selection, chasing a wide delivery. Mushfiqur and Litton had offered brief resistance with a 67-run partnership off 113 balls, scoring briskly before Dinusha’s double strike broke their momentum.
Despite their struggles, Bangladesh would feel they missed a golden opportunity to dictate terms on a surface that is expected to get better for batting. Their failure to rotate strike — compounded by Sri Lanka’s tight lines — allowed pressure to mount steadily. The innings featured long stretches of dot balls, and the inability to convert starts into significant scores meant the visitors could never seize control.
Sri Lanka, for their part, will be relieved that the multiple missed chances did not prove more costly. While Prabath Jayasuriya continued his lean patch without a wicket — despite playing on his home ground — Dinusha’s emergence adds fresh competition and depth to Sri Lanka’s spin ranks.
With Taijul Islam (9) and Ebadot Hossain (5) unbeaten at the crease, Bangladesh’s hopes rest on their tail wagging and the pitch offering early morning assistance. But as it stands, Day 1 firmly belonged to Sri Lanka — not just because of their bowling efficiency, but because a debutant stepped up when the team needed him most.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 220/8** (Shadman 46, Mushfiqur 35; Dinusha 2-22, Vishwa 2-35, Asitha 2-44) vs Sri Lanka. Agencies
