Mendis Joins Feast Of Fifties As Sri Lanka Pile Up Runs

Chittagong, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st Mar, 2024) Dhananjaya de Silva missed out on his third consecutive century in the series, but Kamindu Mendis remained on course for the feat as Sri Lanka piled on runs against Bangladesh in the second Test Sunday.

The visitors reached 476-7 by tea on the second day, with Mendis, who smashed a century in both innings in the first Test, remaining unbeaten on 54, the sixth fifty in the Sri Lankan innings.

De Silva, like Mendis, who also scored a century in both innings of the first Test, raised a similar prospect before he was dismissed for 70 in the post-lunch session in Chittagong.

Prabath Jayasuriya added to the misery of Bangladesh, making 28 before he was dismissed on the stroke of tea.

Bangladesh managed to take just three wickets in two sessions after Sri Lanka resumed their innings with 314-4 in the morning.

Dinesh Chandimal was the only batsman to be dismissed in the first session, edging Shakib Al Hasan behind the stumps after making 59 runs.

De Silva joined Nishan Madushka (57), Dimuth Karunaratne (86) Kusal Mendis (93) and Chandimal as Sri Lanka's fifth half-centurion with a boundary off Taijul islam.

Khaled Ahmed trapped De Silva leg before in the first over after the lunch break, ending his chance to become the fourth Sri Lankan to get a hundred in three consecutive innings, after Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

Khaled could have taken another wicket in his next if Jayasuriya was not comically dropped by three slip fielders on six.

Mendis was declared caught behind on 35 off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, but the decision was reversed after review.

Mendis brought his fifty off 99 balls with a single off Mehidy.

Shakib hit Jayasuriya plumb in front to end his 65-run seventh wicket stand with Mendis.

Sri Lanka won the first Test in Sylhet by 328 runs, with de Silva making 102 and 108 in the two innings.