Bangladesh have played most of the 22 Test matches against Sri Lanka since becoming an ICC full member on June 26, 2000. In the longer-version format, Team Tigers has many memorable moments against the Lankan side. Some of Bangladesh's most remarkable Test knocks have come against Sri Lanka, which the fans will always remember. The two sides will meet again in a 2-match Test series starting on Sunday (May 15). There is an expectation that more remarkable individual performances will be witnessed during the 2022 BAN vs SL Test Series. Let’s refresh the old memories by looking back at Bangladesh’s five most outstanding Test knocks against Sri Lanka.
Brilliant individual Test innings by Bangladesh Players against Sri Lanka
Bangladesh batters have produced some remarkable individual Test innings against Sri Lanka. Here are five of Bangladesh's best individual innings that fans will never forget.
Mohammad Ashraful: 190 (Galle International Stadium, 2013)
As the scorecard indicates, the Galle pitch was a batting paradise. A total of eight centuries were scored in the match. Of those, three were scored by Bangladesh batters. However, displaying brilliant batsmanship against superior opposition while playing for a weaker team is never easy. That’s why Mohammad Ashraful’s 190-run knock in the first innings was a brilliant effort. The Bangladesh team also made a record in that particular innings by playing 196 overs, their most in Test cricket history.
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Mushfiqur Rahim: 200 (Galle International Stadium, 2013)
Mushfiqur Rahim became the first Bangladesh player to score 200 runs during the first innings of the first Test in the 2013 bilateral series against Sri Lanka. It was a marathon innings by him, who made a 267-run stand with Mohammad Ashraful in the fifth wicket partnership. Bangladesh went on to score 638, their highest-ever Test score in an innings. Mushfiqur Rahim won the Player of the Match award for his magnificent batting effort.
Shakib Al Hasan: 116 (P Sara Oval, Colombo, 2017)
Shakib Al Hasan always comes into the scene whenever Bangladesh need him to step in. That’s exactly what he did against Sri Lanka in the first innings of the second Test in 2017. Bangladesh were 192/4 when Shakib came into bat. The visitors needed someone to play a big knock and get past Sri Lanka’s first innings total (338). Thanks to Shakib’s timely 116-run knock, Bangladesh managed to score 467 in their first innings and took a 129-run lead. Bangladesh went on to win the contest by 4 wickets and finish the series 1-1.
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Tamim Iqbal: 82 (P Sara Oval, Colombo, 2017)
Bangladesh made history in their 100th Test match, winning the contest by 4 wickets against Sri Lanka. Special credit should go to opener Tamim Iqbal, who played a responsible knock of 82 in the second innings and guided Bangladesh to a glorious victory. Chasing 191 runs on day-5 on a turning pitch was a daunting task. Thankfully, Tamim rose to the occasion and gave his side a strong start in the innings. When he departed, Bangladesh only required 60 more runs to clinch the match, which they did quite comfortably.
Mohammad Ashraful: 114 (Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo, 2001)
The 17-year-old Mohammad Ashraful stunned the cricket world by scoring a century on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2001. He made 114 runs in the second innings and also had a century stand with veteran Aminul Islam Bulbul for the fifth wicket. Ashraful also became the youngest Test centurion ever with that hundred. It is one of the best-ever Test knocks by a Bangladeshi batter.
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Bottom Line
A total of 15 centuries have been scored against Sri Lanka by Bangladesh players, and the majority of them were some efforts. Besides, the importance of some small innings also can’t be overlooked. Therefore, picking the best five was a difficult task. However, the above-mentioned have been the most memorable batting performances against Sri Lanka by Bangladesh players. The cricketers of the current Bangladesh squad can take inspiration from these innings to give their best effort in the BAN vs SL Test series 2022.