Published: Mar 11, 2013, 09:11 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 11, 2013, 09:11 AM (IST)
Mohammad Ashraful (left) and Mushfiqur Rahim will resume their record stand on Day Four © AFP
Galle: Mar 11, 2013
Bangladesh’s fifth-wicket pairing of Mohammad Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim will look to take their team past Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 570 for four declared, when they resume their innings on Day Four of the first Test at 438 for four.
Ashraful and Rahim smashed impressive centuries in a record stand as Bangladesh dominated the third day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday.
Ashraful hit an unbeaten 189 not out, the highest by a Bangladeshi in Tests, on his comeback and Rahim made a career-best 152 not out as the tourists posted 438-4 in their first innings at stumps in reply to Sri Lanka’s 570-4 declared.
Their 261-run unbroken stand was Bangladesh’s highest for any wicket in Tests, the previous best being 200 for the second wicket between Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique against India in Dhaka in 2010.
Bangladesh also surpassed their previous highest total of 413 against Sri Lanka in Tests.
The tourists, who avoided the follow-on in the final session, now trail by 132 runs with six wickets in hand.
