(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis became the third pairing in Test cricket history to score a century in both innings, as Sri Lanka piled on the pressure on Bangladesh in the first Test.
De Silva scored 108 runs to go with his 102 runs from the first innings. Mendis, meanwhile, remained unbeaten at the time of writing having gone past 150 runs in the second innings – he had scored 102 in the first essay.
Sri Lanka had taken a 92 run first innings lead and were 408/9 at the time of writing to take a 500 run lead in Sylhet.
Greg and Ian Chappell of Australia had become the first pairing to score centuries in both innings. They had done so against New Zealand in March 1974. Misbah
Haq and Azhar Ali of Pakistan emulated it against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014. The pair, who shared 202 runs in the first innings total of 280 runs, put on 173 runs together this time - on their way to becoming the third and fourth Sri Lankans to score centuries in both innings against Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka had resumed the day on 119/5, losing nightwatchman Vishwa Fernando early to Khaled Ahmed, before de Silva and Mendis took control.
De Silva brought up his century with a single off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, before he gave Bangladesh their first chance as Nahid Rana dropped him off Shoriful Islam on 101.
Mehidy ensured the drop did not hurt the team more, soon ending de Silva's innings, with Zakir Hasan taking the catch at short midwicket.
Mendis put away a full toss of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto to bring his own hundred off 171 balls just before the tea, when Prabath Jayasuriya was batting with him for 13.
Sri Lanka have never lost a Test series to Bangladesh.
The second and final match of the series will be played in Chittagong from 30 March. (First Post)
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