Sri Lanka Eyes Imposing Lead After Dominating Bangladesh on Day 2 of Second Test

Kusal Mendis, the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter, expressed confidence that a lead of 150-200 runs would establish a dominant position for his team, especially with the expectation of spin playing a significant role in the final two days of the second Test match.

Sri Lanka concluded Day 2 with a score of 290/2, securing a 43-run lead in the first innings. This was largely due to Pathum Nissanka's impressive unbeaten 146 and Dinesh Chandimal's contribution of 93 runs.

Mendis credited Nissanka for his brilliant batting display © AFP

"We are in a very good position, and our aim is to bat throughout the entire day tomorrow. We're focusing on establishing a lead between 150 and 200 runs. We anticipate that the wicket will offer more spin as we move into the final two days," Mendis stated following the second day's play.

He further added, "Our plan is to accumulate as many runs as possible, aiming for a total exceeding 400. Hopefully, we can achieve that target tomorrow."

Mendis also highlighted the changing conditions of the pitch. "The grass has dried out, and footmarks are becoming more prominent, which leads me to believe that the pitch will offer increased turn. We are keen on avoiding batting in the fourth innings. Our strategy is to bat deep into the game now and put them under considerable pressure."

He lauded Nissanka for his outstanding batting performance and emphasized the importance of acknowledging the efforts of their fast bowlers, who played a crucial role in dismissing the opposition for under 250 runs.

"It has been a treat to watch Pathum bat. He has batted exceptionally well, maintaining his form from the previous series. It was unfortunate that he missed the opportunity to score a double century in Galle, and I hope he achieves that milestone here. He has consistently performed well across all three formats. He dedicates a lot of effort to his game, which is clearly evident in his performances," Mendis noted.

Regarding the bowling attack, Mendis remarked, "The quicks executed our plans perfectly. They maintained discipline with their lengths and lines. Considering the pitch lacked significant pace, that's precisely what was required - not only with the new ball but also with the old ball. This is the best I have seen our fast bowlers perform in Sri Lanka."

"We were aware that the wicket would gradually slow down and offer more turn. Our fast bowlers were exceptional and deserve significant praise. I anticipate that the conditions on Day Four will be significantly different from what we have experienced thus far," he concluded.

On the other side, Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons attributed their struggles to the batting unit's inability to form substantial partnerships and noted that the wicket underwent significant changes during the second innings.

Simmons stated, "Our main setback was the failure to establish significant partnerships yesterday, which resulted in us entering today's play with only two or three wickets remaining."

He continued, "It all boils down to our batting performance and the partnerships we failed to build. At least two or three of our batsmen should have capitalized on their starts yesterday and achieved big scores. I hope we have taken note of Nissanka's impressive batting display and aim to score big runs in the second innings."

"The wicket definitely improved compared to the first day when it was a bit sticky and two-paced. Today, it played much better, and we witnessed how easy it became for the batters. There wasn't as much turn as yesterday, and the batters performed well. That's the essence of Test cricket at times," Simmons added.