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Bangladesh recovered from a shaky 24-5 to reach 153-5 at tea on the opening day of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka, thanks to a stubborn resistance of Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.
They duo shared a 129-run partnership for the unbroken sixth wicket partnership, remaining unscathed throughout the post lunch session.
Liton was batting on 72 with Mushfiqur Rahim on 62 to keep Sri Lanka at bay at the second interval of the day. Both of them hit 10 boundaries in the process.
Sri Lanka fast bowlers Kasun Rajitha and Asitha Fernanon exploited the early moisture astutely after Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque won the toss and elected to bat first.
In a joint-venture, they removed both of the Bangladesh openers Mahmudul Hasan and Tamim Iqbal for duck in first two overs with the former breaking through in the second ball of the day, rattling the stump Mahmudul.
Tamim got the leading edge, trying to clip a Fernando delivery to leg-side after playing just four balls.
Captain Mominul extended his lean streak to sixth straight single digit figure before being out on 9 when he edged a Fernando delivery behind the wickets.
Rajitha rattled the stump of Najmul Hossain (8) with an express delivery and then got prized wicket of Shakib Al Hasan for duck, hitting his pad with a moving delivery. Shakib reviewed in vain as Bangladesh slumped to 24-4.
Mushfiqur and Liton then started recovery to help Bangladesh hit back with luck and pluck.
Liton could have gone for 47 when he pulled lazily to offer a catch at backward square leg but substitute fielder Kamindu Mendis dropped him, much to the joy of Bangladesh.
He then raised his 13th fifty and second consecutive off 96 balls, hitting a boundary through backward square leg off the Fernando.
Mushfiqur, who hit a century in the opening Test, last week and became the first Bangladeshi batter to reach 5000 runs, was more restrained.
He brought up his 26th fifty off 112 balls, also through a boundary from left-arm spinner Praveen Jaywawickrama delivery.
Both of them played with utmost confidence to keep Bangladesh safe from the time being.
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