Bangladesh have been bowled out for 312 in their first innings as Sri Lanka took a 182-run lead after the tea break on the third day.
After hovering dark clouds forced an early tea due to poor visibility at the Galle International Stadium, play was suspended again with light drizzle around the venue on Thursday.
But Bangladesh then stuttered once again, losing three wickets for 10 runs. Miraz and Taskin Ahmed (0) were both dislodged by Dilruwan Perera before the skipper’s fine innings was ended by his Sri Lanka counterpart Rangana Herath.
Mushfiqur went out on a laboured 22 off 84 balls after lunch and stepped things up by cracking four boundaries and a six to reach his 16th Test half-century off 107 balls.
Earlier, Sri Lanka bowlers put the Tigers to the sword by grabbing four wickets at the expense of 50 runs in the first session, reducing them on 192 for 6.
Chasing Sri Lanka’s massive first innings total of 494, Bangladesh resumed on overnight 133 for 2 and had the opportunity to build on a strong base fashioned by a 118-run opening stand between Tamim Iqbal (57) and Soumya Sarkar (71) the previous day.
But they lost wickets in heaps due to some ordinary batting and soon lost their way.
In the third over of the morning, pacer Suranga Lakmal sent Soumya packing when he edged an attempted late pull shot.
Shakib Al Hasan was tasked to lead with responsibility, but he departed after showing unnecessary aggression to make matter worse.
Moments after surviving a top edge that flew for a six, Shakib (23 off 19 balls) was taken out by a poor delivery from chinaman Lakshan Sandakan. Shakib tried to trickle one down but wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella read it well and held on to an edge.
Taking advantage of the batsmen’s poor temperament, the somewhat inexperienced Sri Lanka bowling attack grew in confidence. They removed Mahmudullah (8) and Liton Kumar Das in quick succession to leave Bangladesh reeling.
The 20-year-old pacer Lahiru Kumara angled one in to go through the gate of Mahmudullah (8) before Liton (5) perished edging Rangana Herath to the slips two overs later.
Source: bdnews24