Miraz, Taijul delay the inevitable for Tigers

Mehedi Hasan Miraz's entertaining knock late in the day delayed the inevitable for Bangladesh, as the hosts reached 268-7 at stumps on Day 4 of the second Test, still 243 runs away from the mammoth 511 target set by Sri Lanka at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Miraz remained unbeaten on 44 off 49 balls with the help of seven fours while Taijul Islam remained unbeaten on 10 at the other end.

Sri Lanka continued chipping away at the wickets column, claiming three wickets in the last session after reducing Bangladesh to 132-4 at tea.

Shahadat Hossain Dipu (15) was the last Bangladesh batter to get dismissed in the session, getting trapped LBW by part-time spinner Kamindu Mendis, after Shakib Al Hasan (36) and Liton Das (38) departed in quick succession following a 61-run stand.

The Sri Lankans will now have to turn up another day to finish the job and wrap up a 2-0 series win against the hosts.

Bangladesh finally cross 200 in fourth attempt

Bangladesh crossed the 200-run mark for the first time in the two-Test Test series against Sri Lanka thanks to Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan's 61-run partnership, however, both batters departed right before the Tigers crossed the mark, who are now just four wickets away from suffering a comprehensive defeat against Sri Lanka in the final session on Day 4 of the second Test in Chattogram today.

Shakib was caught brilliantly by Asitha Fernando as widish second slip off part-time spinner Kamindu Mendis after his hard-fought 36. Just three overs later, Liton under-edged the ball to the keeper while trying to pull Lahiru Kumara, departing for 38 as Bangladesh were reduced to 197-6.

Then, in the 54th over of their innings, Mehedi Hasan Miraz ran a two against Prabath Jayasuriya to take the score to 200.

Miraz and Shahadat Hossain Dipu were batting on 12 and eight respectively at the end of 57 overs, with Bangladesh at .216-6, 295 runs away from their target.

Bangladesh four down at tea

Bangladesh showed very little resistance against the Sri Lankan attack in the post-lunch session, losing four wickets to go into the tea break on the penultimate day of the second Test four down for 132 chasing an improbable 511 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Mominul Haque was the last batter to depart after scoring 50 off just 56 balls, getting caught at deep square leg off Prabath Jayasuriya in the last over of the session, worsening Bangladesh's plight in the match

Mominul hit eight fours and one six in his innings, and was looking more intent on scoring runs than saving his wicket at the last few overs of the session and in the end paid the price for it with his wicket.

Shakib Al Hasan, batting on 14, and Liton Das, who is yet to get off the mark, will resume the last session of the day with the hosts still 379 runs away from their target.

Earlier, the Tigers had resumed the session on 31-0. Mahmudul Hasan Joy (24) was the first to depart, as he was guilty of trying to cut a ball that was darting back onto his stumps. The right-hander couldn't make any connection and the ball smashed onto his stumps, giving Jayasuriya his first of two wickets in the session.

Opener Zakir Hasan (19) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (20) were the next two wickets to fall in the session with the former nicking a ball to first slip off Vishwa Fernando and the latter losing his off stump to pacer Lahiru Kumara.

Joy, Zakir take Bangladesh to lunch unscathed

Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan played out eight overs in the morning session to take Bangladesh into lunch on Day 4 of the second Test on 31-0, chasing an improbable 511 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

Joy and Zakir showed some positive intent in the brief period before lunch and remained unbeaten on 19 and 11 respectively as the Tigers are still 480 runs away from the target with five sessions to go.

Earlier, Sri Lanka added 55 runs to their overnight tally and declared their second innings on 157-7, setting up a mammoth target for the hosts.

Sri Lanka declare, set 511-run target for Tigers

Sri Lanka declared their second innings on 157-7, to set a daunting 511-run target for Bangladesh in the morning session on Day 4 of the second Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

The Lankans, who resumed the day's play on 102-6. added, 55 runs in the first hour of play with Angelo Mathews, who was unbeaten on 39 overnight, completing a half-century before losing his stumps to a stunning delivery from Shakib Al Hasan.

Prabath Jayasuriya remained unbeaten on 28 and Vishwa Fernando made eight before the Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva signalled his batters to return to the dugout.

Debutant pacer Hasan Mahmud couldn't add to his four-wicket haul from the previous day and finished with match figures of 6-157. Khaled Ahmed also claimed a couple of wickets in the second innings.

Interestingly, Bangladesh were set the same target in the first Test, which they lost by 328 runs. With the pitch showing signs of wear and tear with uneven bounce for both pacers and spinners, the Tigers are almost certain to suffer another defeat at the hands of the visitors.