Meanwhile, Sri Lanka can try and take wickets as quickly as possible and manage to keep Bangladesh under 250 which looks unrealistic at this point. However, the ball turned a lot as compared to other days and that would ignite some hope in the hosts dressing room as we are getting ready for the final day action. To be honest, draw looks the most picked out result at this point but anything can happen in Test cricket. Bangladesh have their skipper, Shanto in the middle, unbeaten on 56 so they won’t have to look too far for an idea as the man in the middle will answer most of the question in the first session only. Stay tuned.

Hello everyone to the action of Day 5 between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It’s the visitors who are in front right now as we head into the final day, with a lead of 187 runs, it will be quite interesting to see if Bangladesh opt to get a result out of this game or they’ll be happy to secure a draw. We thought on Day 4 when Bangladesh were in a very comfortable position, they’ll start to launch and changed gears but instead they settled with a defensive approach, denying any chance for Sri Lanka to get back into the game. The ball is in Bangladesh’s court and how they approach the first session will tell a lot about the day.

...Day 5, Session 1...

Right then, that is it from a grinding Day 4, where both teams tried hard, but still the game has not moved, and at the moment, a draw is looking like the likeliest result unless any one of Sri Lanka or Bangladesh shows a bit more intent. The fifth and final day will start early to cover for the lost time, and a total of 98 overs are to be bowled. It will begin at 4.15 am GMT, but as you know, you can join us early for all the build-up. Cheers!

Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto stood firm even as the ball started to grip and turn. They didn’t offer any chances to the Lankan bowlers, frustrating them with solid defence and patient accumulation. Their 68-run stand wore the bowlers down before Milan Rathnayake finally broke through, dismissing Islam on a well-made 76, providing the only real moment of joy for the hosts. However, Mushfiqur Rahim then joined in, survived a couple of nervy moments early on, and stitched together another promising partnership along with the skipper, who notched up a fifty as well, helping Bangladesh finish the day firmly on top.

The post-Lunch session brought a momentum swing in Bangladesh’s favour. Sri Lanka appeared well-placed to take the lead with Kamindu Mendis and Milan Rathnayake at the crease, but the hosts lost their grip as the pitch began to deteriorate. Nayeem Hasan provided the crucial breakthrough with a lovely flighted delivery to dismiss Kamindu for 83 and went on to complete a well-deserved five-wicket haul. Hasan Mahmud supported well, as Bangladesh cleaned up the last three wickets for just 15 runs, securing a narrow 10-run lead. In their second innings, Bangladesh approached positively, adding quick runs and stretching the lead to 75 by Tea. Despite losing Anamul Haque and Mominul Haque - both to spin, Sri Lanka couldn’t fully seize control, with Prabath Jayasuriya and Tharindu Rathnayake striking one each and Asitha Fernando threatening early on.

The opening session of the day was evenly poised, with both teams enjoying phases of control. Bangladesh made early inroads by dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis in quick time, but Sri Lanka steadied the ship through a crucial partnership between Kamindu Mendis and Milan Rathnayake. The pair added 79 unbeaten runs, with Kamindu looking assured on 83 at the Lunch break. Sri Lanka trimmed the deficit to just 30 runs by then, shifting the momentum slightly in their favour. Bangladesh might look back at that session as a missed opportunity, especially as the surface began to play a bit easier for the batters.

SESSION SUMMARY – 112 runs, 1 wicket in 35 overs! A hard-fought final session where both teams had to dig deep, but Bangladesh will be the happier side. They managed to lose just one wicket while adding valuable runs at a steady rate, stretching their lead to 187. The game is finely balanced, but the visitors have their noses slightly in front. If they score with intent in the first session on the final day, they could set a challenging target and then back their bowlers to push for a result.

Last over of Day 4? Yes, and it will be Kamindu Mendis to bowl it.