Lahiru Kumara shines as Sri Lanka wraps up 2-0 series win against Bangladesh

Sri Lanka sealed the victory during the first session of the fifth day of the final Test of the two-match series, with Khaled Ahmed the final Bangladesh batter to fall at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium as Sri Lanka completed a clean 2-0 sweep.

Resuming their innings at 268/7, with Mehidy batting positively and dangerously at the crease. Bangladesh batter Taijul Islam tried but lost his wicket to Kamindu Mendis for 14.

Hasan Mahmud displayed a good defensive aptitude for a short time and frustrated bowler. But Lahirudelieverd a rifling sharp bouncer that Mahmud scooped to Nishan Madushka at short leg, before removing Khaled Mahmud with a searing yorker.

Sri Lanka dominated the series away from home, with Kamindu Mendis scoring the most runs with 367 at an average of 122.33.

Mendis scored an unbeaten 92 in the first innings as Sri Lanka posted a massive total of 531, and their bowlers soon backed up their efforts by dismissing Bangladesh for 178 in reply.

Fast bowler Asitha Fernando was Sri Lanka's standout performer, taking four wickets in the first innings, while fellow fast Lahiru Kumara added four wickets in the second innings to help seal the victory.

Earlier, Sri Lankan bowlers, especially the spinners Prabhat Jayasuriya and Kamindu Mendis, gave the team an upper hand on the fourth day of the second Test.

At Day 4 stumps, Bangladesh were 268/7 in their second innings with Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam on the crease. Both batters so far have built an unbeaten partnership of 25 runs from 33 balls.

Sri Lanka resumed the fourth day from 102/6 with Angelo Mathews (39) and Prabath Jayasuriya (3) unbeaten on the crease with the visitors having a 455-run lead. Mathews completed his fifty in the 31st over as he pushed the ball for a single on the bowling of left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hassan.

Both batters were able to add just 32 runs to the team total as the all-rounder was sent back to the pavilion after scoring 56 runs with the help of five boundaries. Mathews built a partnership of 43 runs along with Jayasuriya before getting dismissed to Shakib.

After Mathew's wicket, Vishwa Fernando came out to bat. The Sri Lankan side declared their second innings at 157/7 with Jayasiruya (28) and Fernando (8) unbeaten on the crease. They set a target of 511 runs for the Bangladesh side.

Chasing 511 runs for victory, Bangladesh batters started off the innings well but lost three wickets inside 100 runs. First, they lost the wicket of Mahmudul Hasan Joy when the team score was 37. The second wicket to fall was of the other opener Zakir Hasan at the score of 51. They lost the third wicket at 94 as the team skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was dismissed after scoring just 20 runs.

After four wickets, Shakib and Litton Das built a partnership of 61 runs. The former was dismissed after scoring 36 runs with the help of three boundaries. The fifth wicket fell at the score of 193 as he was dismissed by Kamindu Mendis.

Soon after the fifth wicket, Sri Lanka lost their sixth wicket when the team score was 197 runs Das was dismissed after scoring 38 runs which included four boundaries. After the sixth wicket, Shahadat Hossain Dipu came out to the crease to bat. He built a partnership of 46 runs with Mehidy Hasan Miraz before Hossain Dipu was dismissed after scoring 15 runs when the team score was 243.

For the Lanka side, two wickets each were snapped by Jayasuriya, Mendis, and Lahiru Kumara in their respective spells. One wicket was grabbed by Fernando in his spell of 10 overs where he conceded 39 runs. (ANI)