Sports Desk:

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran Mushfiqur Rahim steadied the ship after initial trouble as Bangladesh reached 182-3 at tea on Day 1 of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka at Galle International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
They showed steely resolve in defying the Lankan bowlers who cut through Bangladesh top order in no time in what seemed to be a batting paradise.
As Bangladesh were reduced to 45-3 in the morning session, Shanto and Mushfiqur stabilized the innings, keeping them unscathed in 42 overs, including a whole second session.
Shanto was batting on 79 with Mushfiqur on 70, ending his 14-inning fifty-less streak.
In their almost chanceless innings, they dominated the Lankan bowlers in style with Mushfiqur who averaged almost 55 against the Lankan,,, particularly in supreme touch.
Shanto was particularly strong against the spinners, who led by debutant Tharindu Rathnayake caused Bangladesh’s initial trouble.
Shanto struck Rathnayake the only six of the innings and grew with confidence that took him on the verge of his first century since 2023.
But the left-arm spinner Rathnayake ruined Bangladesh’s morning session, troubling the batters with his guile and turn. Although Bangladesh top order failed to resist the urge of playing one shot too many more often.
Shanto won the toss and didn’t hesitate to bat first but that was not
vindicated as Sri Lanka got the first breakthrough in just fifth over by removing Anamul Haque Bijoy.
After struggling to get off the mark, Bijoy finally edged a fuller length
delivery of pacer Asitha Fernando for a 10 ball-duck.
Mominul Haque, the only other Bangladeshi batter apart from Mushfiqur to have averaged 50 against Sri Lanka, began fluently, hitting Fernando a couple of boundaries.
Shadman Islam, the opener who seemed to have settled his position after the retirement of Tamim Iqbal, played cautiously when Mominul was on song.
But the introduction of Rathnayake proved to be costly for Bangladesh.
Rathnayake struck twice in two balls across two overs to get the better of those to batters, who looked solid in approach.
He spun one past Shadman viciously to take the outside edge, ending his 14 off 53 before finding the edge of Mominul.
Mominul who was dropped on 21 in the bowling of the same bowler tried to cut a delivery that was not enough close, resulting a catch as Sri Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva completed a tumbling catch to remove him on 33 ball-29, a knock studded with four boundaries.
Rathnayake, however, ended with 2-91.