Cricholic
Shanto Rahim century stand helped Bangladesh take control on Day 1 of the Galle Test against Sri Lanka. After an early collapse, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (136*) and experienced campaigner Mushfiqur Rahim (105*) forged an unbeaten 247-run partnership for the fourth wicket. As a result, Bangladesh ended the day on a commanding 292/3.
🏏 Early Wobble for Bangladesh Despite Batting First
Bangladesh opted to bat first on a dry Galle pitch in what was Angelo Mathews’ final Test appearance. However, the top order failed to give them a solid start.
To begin with, Anamul Haque was dismissed for a duck in the very first hour, edging behind. Soon after, Shadman Islam, who had looked composed early on, nicked debutant Tharindu Rathnayake to slip. Meanwhile, Mominul Haque was handed a lifeline when Dhananjaya de Silva dropped him, but he couldn’t capitalise and fell shortly after.
Consequently, Bangladesh slumped to 45/3, placing them in deep trouble.
💪 Shanto Rahim Century Stand Sparks a Comeback
From that position, the Shanto Rahim century stand began to take shape. Coming together in the 17th over, Shanto and Rahim showed intent to rebuild. Notably, Shanto stepped out confidently to the spinners, while Rahim rotated the strike with precision.
As the innings progressed, the pair grew more assured. Shanto regularly drove down the ground and lofted through extra cover, whereas Rahim played with soft hands and clever placement. Eventually, their partnership started to frustrate Sri Lanka’s bowlers.
Moreover, Bangladesh remained positive after lunch. Rahim pulled Asitha Fernando for back-to-back boundaries, while Shanto showed no signs of slowing down. As a result, the duo brought up their respective fifties and reached a 100-run partnership shortly after.
💯 Shanto and Rahim Reach Landmark Centuries
The third session further belonged to the visitors. First, Shanto brought up his sixth Test hundred with a controlled sweep. Shortly after, Rahim reached his 12th Test century, showing immense patience and class.
Their unbeaten 247-run stand is now one of the highest fourth-wicket partnerships in Bangladesh’s Test history. Importantly, it also highlighted their leadership and game awareness. In contrast to the top-order collapse, the middle order stood tall under pressure.
🎯 Sri Lanka’s Bowlers Left Searching for Answers
While Sri Lanka started strongly, they couldn’t maintain pressure once the fourth-wicket pair settled. Rathnayake and Prabath Jayasuriya bowled a combined 61 overs but had little to show for their efforts.
In addition, Sri Lanka used just five bowlers throughout the day. This lack of variation eventually hurt them, especially when both set batters began finding gaps consistently. Despite trying defensive field placements and varying bowling angles, the breakthrough never arrived.
Therefore, Bangladesh ended the day in a dominant position, with momentum firmly in their favour.
📊 Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka – Day 1 Scorecard
Bangladesh 292/3
Najmul Hossain Shanto 136* (232), Mushfiqur Rahim 105* (203)
Tharindu Rathnayake 2/124, Asitha Fernando 1/51
