Madushka fifty leads Sri Lanka to 88-0 at lunch

Visiting Sri Lanka made a solid start to the second and final Test against Bangladesh, thanks to a brilliant half-century of opener Nishan Madushka at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today.

He brought up his second fifty in his career as Sri Lanka reached 88-0 at lunch on Day 1 of the series deciding Test.

After opting to bat first, the visitors made a fluent start with Madushka driving pacer Syed Khaled Ahmed for a four past boundary in the first over.

Karunaratne also began with a boundary when he clipped a full length delivery of debutant Hasan Mahmud past mid-wicket.

But Bangladesh bowlers created some chances in the barren session which the fielders couldn’t hold on.

Madushka was dropped on 9 when Mahmudul Hasan put down a straight chance off fast bowler Mahmud at second slip.

His opening partner Dimuth Karunaratne was also lucky to have survived as he top-edged a Mahmud delivery but Shakib Al Hasan fumbled it over the boundary line to give Karunaratne a six.

Madushka reached his second fifty off 80 balls, when he punched offspinner Mehidy Hasan to mid-off for a single.

Madushka was batting on 55 from 97 balls, hitting six fours at the interval with Karunaratne on 33.(BSS)