Bangladesh post 495 in first innings against Sri Lanka

Bangladesh have fallen just shy of the 500-run mark in their first innings against Sri Lanka in Galle, but have still managed to post an impressive 495 after tons from veteran Mushfiqur Rahim and Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.

The top and tail of Bangladesh's order did not offer much resistance, but the trio of Mushfiqur (163), Shanto (148), and Litton Das (90) managed to pile on the runs.

After an early wobble, the Tigers were left at 45-3. But Mushfiqur and Shanto battled back with mature, patient play. Together the two added 264 runs off 480 balls.

Once Shanto fell, Mushfiqur carried on alongside a more sprightly Litton, adding another 149 runs for the fifth wicket.

But once Mushfiqur departed, the wickets fell quickly. Milan Rathnayake (3-39) picked up a flurry of scalps late on Wednesday to close out the day's play.

In the third over on Thursday, Asitha Fernando (4-86) picked up the final wicket to close out the Tigers' innings.

Tharindu Rathnayake also picked up a trio of wickets, but did so for an expensive 196.

The Tigers won the toss and chose to bat in their first match of the fresh round of the World Test Championships 2025-2027.

Bangladesh did not win a single match in the first iteration of the Test tournament. In the second they won one match but remained at the bottom of the standings. But in the 2023-25 tournament, Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s side beat New Zealand, Pakistan twice, and the West Indies to claim seventh spot.

Now the Tigers hope to step up their game and claim sixth or higher on the table.

Bangladesh is playing without allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the starting eleven due to an illness. In his absence, the Tigers is fielding four specialised bowlers.