Mominul Haque (right) celebrates after scoring his fifth Test century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque put on a show in Chittagong as he tormented Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 175 on the opening day of the first Test.
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh made an excellent start to their innings and maintained a very healthy run rate, largely thanks to opening batsman Tamim Iqbal.
Iqbal and Imul Kayes went on to amass a 72-run partnership, during which Iqbal brought up his half-century.
Tamim Iqbal scored his 25th Test fifty
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
However, shortly after doing so, Iqbal was clean bowled by Dilruwan Perera for 52 off 53 balls, which included six boundaries and a six.
Mominul and Kayes added another 48 runs to the score before Kayes was trapped lbw off the bowling of Lakshan Sandakan for 40.
Kayes opted not to review the decision, but had he done so, he would have been given a reprieve as replays showed the ball was going over leg stump.
Despite losing Kayes, Bangladesh continued to take the attack to Sri Lanka as Mominul and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim put together a 236-run stand, during which Mominul surged past his hundred, while Rahim was within touching distance of his own hundred.
However, Rahim didn’t end up getting to the triple figure mark as he was caught behind off the bowling of Suranga Lakmal for 92, which came off 192 balls and included 10 boundaries.
Mushfiqur Rahim fell eight runs short of sixth Test hundred
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Lakmal struck again the very next ball as he clean bowled Liton Das for a golden duck.
Having lost two wickets in successive deliveries, Mominul and stand-in captain Mahmudullah guided Bangladesh to stumps with an unbeaten 18-run partnership.
Mominul finished on 175 off 203 balls, which included 16 boundaries and a six, while Mahmudullah remained undefeated on nine off 20 deliveries, which included two boundaries.
Lakmal was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Dilruwan and Sandakan claimed one wicket each.
Bangladesh ended day one on 374/4 and will continue batting on Thursday at 09:30 local time or 03:30 GMT.