Asitha, Mathews, Chandimal star in Sri Lanka's series win
Shakib and Litton had defied Sri Lanka with a 103-run stand, but all that partnership could do was stave off an innings defeat for the hosts
Shakib and Litton had defied Sri Lanka with a 103-run stand, but all that partnership could do was stave off an innings defeat for the hosts
Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: Madushka Balasuriya
And with that it's a series wrap from myself, Ankur and the team. Thanks for keeping us company, it's been a pleasure.
Sri Lankan Captain Dimuth Karunaratne: "I think we knew we needed a couple of wickets today to bowl them out. The fast bowlers were fantastic and they really gave us the momentum. When you come here we were expecting to get some wickets from the spinners, but I think we only got three wickets from them. So overall it's a learning experience but yes, I am disappointed. With series against Australia and Pakistan coming up, we will need them to step up. But overall really happy with how the team has done, especially those who hadn't done well in the recent past. Nice to see the coming into some form. I would also like to dedicate this win to the Sri Lankans back home who are having a tough time, I hope this brings them some joy in a difficult period."
Player of the Series goes to Angelo Mathews, for his 199 in the first Test and 145 not out in this one: "There's nothing better than getting a Test series win. They gave a real good run for our money and it's a good feeling to beat them. I thought both the wickets were good, even if the one if Chittagong was a little flat. I felt this was a very good wicket, little bit of life for the fast bowlers as well. And it started going up and down a bit, and that made it difficult for both the batters and the bowlers later on. But credit to our bowlers. I was feeling confident after getting start, and happy to make it count." Player of the Match goes to Asitha Fernando for his match figures of 10 for 144: "There was a bit of a grass on the first day, and that helped. And after the second and third days the bounce was variable, and we had to bowl it in the right places. I want to thank Kasun, it was combined effort from us, and it was a well worked out game plan."
Litton Das is named the MVP for the match for his 193 runs across two innings, including a first innings century.
Bangladesh Captain Mominul Haque: "It's been disappointing. We have to work hard, we didn't do well in key moments, but there were some positives. Feel sorry for Mushi and Litton who played so well. But Sri Lanka put a lot of pressure on with the new ball. It's all about a mental game, if you're not mentally strong it's very difficult to come back in the next series. We have to look after our bowling as well, especially pace bowling."
Ruchira: "Asitha not just the first Sri Lankan seamer since Chaminda Vaas to pick 10 wickets in a Test, he is the only seamer in the history of Sri Lankan Test Cricket to take a 10 wicket haul, except for Chaminda Vaas."
Harshit Agrawal: "Also on the bowling front Ebadot and Shakib were waging lonely battles. Other bowlers/bowling allrounders were ineffective with both bat and bowl. They missed Mehidy badly. "
Joydeepsinghgil: "In this match 5 half centuries 4 centuries 11 ducks and more than 100 runs partnership for 6th wicket thrice and 10 overall wickets by an bowler what a test match was that at its best"
2.01pm So Sri Lanka complete a well deserved win here in Dhaka. After they clung onto a draw in Chittagong while second best for large parts of that Test, they arrived in Dhaka with renewed vigour. The fast bowling pair of Kasun Rajitha and Asitha Fernando set the tone on the first morning itself, reducing Bangladesh to a scarcely believable 24 for 5. Then the home side hit back, as Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim put on a mammoth 272-run sixth wicket stand, helping Bangladesh to a somewhat par 365 first innings total. Sri Lanka's batters though responded strongly, including a 199-run sixth wicket partnership of their own between Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, and secured a 144-run lead. A lead that would balloon in stature after Sri Lanka's seamers once more ripped into the Bangladesh top order reducing them to 23 for 4, and then 53 for 5 this morning when Mushfiqur fell. But then for a third time in the Test, the sixth wicket proved a stumbling block as Shakib and Litton put on 103 together. But as Sri Lanka have done so many times through this Test, they struck immediately after the lunch break, and within an hour had bowled out the hosts. And the target of 29 was all but a formality from that point on. Aside from the form of the likes of veterans like Mathews and Chandimal, the biggest takeaway from this series will undoubtedly be the performance of the seamers. Asitha today became the first Sri Lankan seamer since Chaminda Vaas to pick 10 wickets in a Test, while Rajitha, who only broke into the side as a concussion sub in the first Test, ended this one with seven scalps of his own, including a first innings five-for. Having come into this series with serious question marks around their seam bowling stocks, Sri Lanka's new head coach Chris Silverwood must be absolutely chuffed. As for Bangladesh, they were good in patches, especially in the first Test, but weren't able to put Sri Lanka away. And when the tables were turned, while they fought hard, the experienced middle order was just left with too much to do. This is now a third straight home Test series defeat.
So one run to win.
Ananya: "Even though they have lost here... BD had their moments too in this match. Just that their top order sans Tamim was not consistent. Rahim, Litton and Shakib had waged lonely battles...!"
So just six to win then. Is this the last over of the series? Here's Ebadot.
OACL: "What a talented line of pace bowlers SL has got: Chameera, Kumara, Rajitha, Vishwa, Binura, Asitha - plenty to choose from now. Hope the spinners come good in the AUS tour to give the selectors the good kind of headaches. "
And how many batters have been dismissed for both 99 and 199 in Tests?
The quartet stepped up to make up for the lack of penetration from spinners and delivered a 1-0 series win
The Bangladesh coach criticised the batting collapses and bowlers' lines, saying it was 'never a 500-run wicket'
Shakib and Litton had defied Sri Lanka with a 103-run stand, but all that partnership could do was stave off an innings defeat for the hosts
Bangladesh are four down in their second innings, still trailing by 107 runs