Debutant spinner Sonal Dinusha and fast bowlers Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando each took two wickets to help Sri Lanka restrict Bangladesh to 220/8 at stumps on the opening day of the second cricket Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo on Wednesday.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and chose to bat first at the Sinhalese Sports Club. The visitors had a shaky start, losing their first wicket with just five runs on the board.

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: 2nd Test, Day 1 – Highlights

Opening batter Anamul Haque could not capitalise on a reprieve when Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis dropped him off fast bowler Asitha Fernando. However, Haque was soon dismissed by the same bowler without scoring.

Mominul Haque and Shadman Islam built a promising partnership of 38 runs, but Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva removed Mominul (21), who was caught by substitute fielder Pawan Rathnayake. This left the visitors at 71 for two at lunch.

Sri Lanka claimed two quick wickets after lunch. Fernando had Shanto, who scored centuries in each innings of the first Test in Galle, caught behind by Mendis for eight. Off-spinner Tharindu Rathnayake then had Shadman caught by de Silva for 46, the highest score of the innings so far, leaving Bangladesh at 76 for four.

Sri Lanka missed another wicket when Lahiru Udara dropped Mushfiqur Rahim in the deep on eight.

Rahim and Litton Das shared a 67-run partnership for the fifth wicket, stabilising Bangladesh’s innings. Das (34) edged a catch to Mendis, and Vishwa Fernando did not miss out on a second chance from Rahim (35) in the deep.

Dinusha had bowling figures of 2/22.

Perfect Debut

Allrounder Dinusha, 24, made his Test debut for Sri Lanka following the retirement of senior allrounder Angelo Mathews after the first Test. Dinusha has scored 2,478 runs in 48 first-class matches, averaging over 40 runs per innings, and has also taken 99 first-class wickets.

Fast bowler Milan Rathnayake was left out of the lineup due to injury, with left-arm paceman Vishwa Fernando taking his place. Bangladesh allrounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who missed the first Test due to injury, returned in place of Jaker Ali.

A lengthy rain interruption meant only 71 overs were bowled on the opening day. The match will start 15 minutes early on day two. The first Test, played in Galle, ended in a draw.

(With inputs from AP)