COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka strengthened their hold on the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Friday, as Bangladesh’s batting woes continued, putting the hosts firmly on course for victory.

Buoyed by Day 2 heroics from Pathum Nissanka (158) and an aggressive 84 from Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka ended their innings at 458, amassing a commanding 211-run lead.

In response, Bangladesh stumbled early in their second innings, finishing Day 3 at 115 for 6, still trailing by 96 runs.

Bangladesh openers Shadman Islam and Anamul Haque showed intent, racing to 28 without loss in the opening overs. But Asitha Fernando struck to dismiss Anamul, and Bangladesh began losing wickets steadily and both the openers went out on the score of 31.

Spin from Prabath Jayasuriya and captain Dhananjaya de Silva further tore through the middle order. Jayasuriya claimed the wicket of stalwart Mushfiqur Rahim, bowling him through the gate, while Mominul caught at slips of De Silva.

At stumps, Bangladesh remained on the back foot, their top order unable to resist. The team trails by 96 runs with only four wickets remaining, a deficit Bangladesh is unlikely to overhaul on Saturday.

Brief Scores

  • Sri Lanka 458 
  • Bangladesh 247 & 115/6 — Trail by 96 runs 

Bangladesh got off to a promising start, racing to 31 in just 6.4 overs, but it didn’t take long for Sri Lanka’s bowlers to wrest back control. Once the first wicket fell, the innings began to unravel quickly. Now, with most of the batting lineup back in the pavilion, it’s up to Litton Das and the tailenders to dig deep and try to avoid an innings defeat. For Sri Lanka, the finish line is well within sight.

What's Next

Play resumes Saturday morning at 10 a.m. local time, with Sri Lanka eyeing an innings victory and lift the trophy in this two-match series. First match of the series ended in a draw at Galle International Stadium. 

What's More in the Tour

The visiting team is set to play a three-match ODI series, followed by three T20Is, starting on July 2, 2025.