Kasun Rajitha claimed his second five-wicket haul in the first Test as Sri Lanka crushed Bangladesh by 328 runs in Sylhet on Monday to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The visitors bowled out Bangladesh for 182 in their second innings after lunch on the fourth day, with Rajitha returning with 5-56. Overnight batsman Mominul Haque scored 87 not out for Bangladesh to delay the inevitable, before Lahiru Kumara (2-39) took the last wicket. Fast bowler Rajitha claimed the wicket of Taijul Islam in the third over of the morning, trapping the left-hander for six.
Mominul, who hit 12 fours and a six, put on a tenacious 66-run partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the seventh wicket before Rajitha struck again.
Mehidy, on 33, edged Rajitha to Dhananjaya de Silva at second slip.
Rajitha took the wickets of Shoriful Islam (12) and Khaled Ahmed (nil) off successive deliveries after the break to complete his five-wicket haul.
Vishwa Fernando was the other crucial bowler for Sri Lanka with 3-36 as pacemen took all 20 wickets for the visitors in the match.
“The wicket had something for the fast bowlers,” said Sri Lanka captain and player of the match de Silva.
“We talked about playing late and what shots to play on this wicket. In the end it paid off.”
Taijul and Mominul resumed Bangladesh’s innings at 47-5 after the top order collapsed just over an hour before the end of the match on Sunday.
“The wicket was good, there was movement early on,” said Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.
“We need to improve our batting skills with new balls. A lot of work needs to be done for the next Test, and we will have a plan to come back strong.”
Sri Lanka, who have never lost a Test series in Bangladesh, made 280 in their first innings and Bangladesh replied with 188.
The visitors went on to make 418, with first-innings century makers de Silva and Kamindu Mendis both reaching three figures for the second time in the match.
They became only the third pair from the same country to score centuries in each innings of a Test, after Australian Chappell brothers, Greg and Ian, and Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali.
The second and final match of the series will be played in Chittagong from March 30.
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