Bangladesh lost their way late on Day 2 as they lost five wickets for 26 runs, including well-set batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das, leaving them at 484-9 at Stumps in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday.

Mushfiqur's marathon knock came to an end when he was trapped lbw by Asitha Fernando, brining an end to a monumental 163-run knock and a 149-run stand with Litton who was sent packing in the very next over. Litton, who had scored 90, missed out on a century as he departed while trying to reverse sweep Tharindu Rathnayake, gloving it to Kusal Mendis behind the stumps.

Liton had survived a few anxious moments -- Pathum Nissanka grassed a sitter at short mid-wicket when he had just 14 to his name and moments earlier, he had survived a runout stemming from a mix-up.

Jaker Ali, the last recognised batter, couldn't make a significant contribution, departing for just eight, after which tailenders Taijul Islam (6) and Nayeem Hasan (11)  got dismissed in within two overs, leaving Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana to see off the day. 

Ambidextrous spinner Tharindu Rathnayake, and pacers Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathnayake picked up three wickets apeiece. 

Earlier on the day, a 264-run stand between Mushfiqur and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was broken when the latter got dismissed lbw by Fernando in the first session. A rain interruption of about two and a half hours followed, a break which brought a disruption to Bangladesh's momentum. 

Mushfiqur dismissed for 163, Litton misses out on a ton 

Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim's marathon knock came to an end when he was trapped lbw by Asitha Fernando, brining an end to a monumental 163-run knock in the final session on Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday.

Mushfiqur's dismissal ended a 149-run stand with Litton Das who was sent packing in the very next over. Litton, who had scored 90, missed out on a well-deserved ton as he departed while trying to reverse sweep Tharindu Rathnayake. 

Bangladesh were 459-6 after 142 overs. 

Play resumes after rain, Bangladesh firmly on top in Galle

Play resumed on the second day of the Galle Test after a rain interruption of nearly two and a half hours, with Bangladesh continuing from a position of dominance. A maximum of 31.4 overs are scheduled to be bowled today, with play extendable until 6 PM local time if the light permits.

Despite rain being forecast for all five days of the match, the first day remained dry, allowing a full 90 overs in bright sunshine. However, the skies eventually opened on day two, halting play midway. By that time, Bangladesh had already seized control of the contest.

At the rain break, the visitors stood at a commanding 423 for 4 in 130.2 overs. Mushfiqur Rahim, who narrowly survived an lbw appeal on the last ball before the rain—upheld as umpire's call on DRS—was closing in on what could be his fourth Test double century. Meanwhile, Litton Das was also growing in confidence, building on his solid half-century as the pair looked to pile on further misery for Sri Lanka.

....

Earlier, a sedate Mushfiqur Rahim and an attacking Litton Das took Bangladesh past the 400-run mark on the second day of the Galle Test against Sri Lanka.

The pair added 74 runs in 20.5 overs before Lunch following the fall of skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto early in the morning. At Lunch, Bangladesh were four for 383.

Then after Lunch, they remained steady and guided Bangladesh past the 400-run mark. In the process, Mushfiqur crossed 150-run mark while Litton reached half-century.

While Mushfiqur was mostly quiet an circumspect, Liton was aggressive and taking his chances, surviving a few close calls.   

Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka (C) drops a catch of Bangladesh's Litton Das (L) during the second day of the first Test at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Photo: AFP

The half-century is Liton's highest in Test cricket since a Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in August 2024. In fact the wicketkeeper-batter had not scored a half-century in any format of international cricket during this time.

He had averaged 13.3 in his last 10 Test innings. Just like Mushfiqur, who is coming off a torrid run, Litton too would be looking to fill up his boots on this placid Galle pitch. 

....

Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto fell two runs short of 150 after offering a catch to Angelo Mathews on the second morning of the Galle Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Shanto played an Asitha Fernando delivery uppishly, only managing to find a diving Mathews at mid-on.

Shanto's 148 off 279 deliveries featured 15 fours and a six.

Shanto's dismissal ended a 264-run fourth-wicket partnership between Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim, falling three runs short of a record fourth-wicket stand for Bangladesh in Tests.