Heading into the fifth morning in Galle, no-one is quite sure which way this match will break. Bangladesh are 187 runs to the good, three second-innings wickets down, and the surface is spitting out dust whenever a spinner hits a length. On paper a draw remains the bookmakers’ favourite, yet with the World Test Championship punishing stalemates, neither dressing-room is thinking safety first.
First the basics. Bangladesh batted through most of day four, stretching their advantage after Sri Lanka’s 346. Nayeem Hasan’s five-for – his fourth in Tests – had limited that first-innings damage. The tourists will walk out on Friday aiming to push the lead beyond 250, maybe 275, before letting their three-man spin attack loose. Sri Lanka, for their part, fancy knocking over the remaining seven wickets quickly and giving their top order a chase that fits inside 90-plus overs.
Both sets of players sound genuinely upbeat, without the usual pre-day-five bluster.
“We have every opportunity to go for the win once we have a good total on board,” Nayeem said. “A lot of things can happen on the fifth-day wicket. We have a positive mindset going into the last day.”
His opposite number Kamindu Mendis – he made an enterprising 87 on Wednesday – can see at least three results on the table.
“The match is open to both sides,” he pointed out. “They’ve only lost three wickets for now, but in the morning session if we get two or three wickets early, we will be ascendant. What we wanted in the first innings was a lead of about 150, but we didn’t get there.
“But tomorrow, if we can get them out inside a session, or even in the second session, that is enough. We’ve been able to have a higher run rate than them, so a session-and-a-half is enough for us. As a team we have confidence that we can win this. The run rate will change as the pitch changes.”
Bangladesh’s equation is simpler: build runs, pile on pressure.
“If we can give them a good target, they will be under pressure,” Nayeem added. “There’s a difference between playing normal cricket and playing under pressure. They will also be worried about losing the game. We want to give a good total.”
The pitch, slow for two days and now turning sharply, is likely to decide who smiles at stumps. One good spell, one stubborn partnership – either could swing a Test that, for the moment, stays deliciously unresolved.
