Records galore for De Silva and Kamindu as Sri Lanka bat Bangladesh to dust
It was only the second time in this century and the third time overall that two batters from the same team hit twin hundreds in a Test match.
Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis have probably batted Bangladesh out of the first match of the two-Test series as the duo rewrote the record books on day three at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
At tea, Sri Lanka were 338-7, leading by 430 and Bangladesh have to pull off the highest chase in Test history to win the match.
De Silva and Kamindu played with a positive frame of mind to notch up some quick runs and took the lead past the 300-run mark before the end of the first session.
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Earlier, nightwatcher Vishwa Fernando, who was unbeaten overnight, lost his wicket to Khaled Ahmed soon after play started on day three. But since then, it was tough going for the host bowlers with de Silva and Kamindu remaining unharmed throughout the innings.
Sri Lanka captain de Silva, who hit a masterful 102 in the first innings under pressure, became the first Sri Lanka batter in 10 years to hit a century in each innings of a Test.
Before getting out to Mehidy Hasan Miraz, de Silva scored 108 off 179 with the help of nine fours and two sixes. He added 173 off 273 with Kamindu, becoming only the third pair in Test history to share 150-plus partnerships in both innings of a Test match.
Kamindu, who reached his fifty just before lunch, notched up his second hundred in just his third Test innings. It was only the second time in this century and the third time overall that two batters from the same team hit twin hundreds in a Test match.
Kamindu was unbeaten on 100 at tea.
