Dilruwan Perera, the off-spinner, picked up five wickets as Sri Lanka thumped fragile Bangladesh by an innings and 248 runs in the first Test in Dhaka on Thursday.
Bangladesh, trailing by a huge 498-run margin on first innings, were bowled out for 250 in their second knock after lunch on the fourth day at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
Perera, a 31-year-old playing in his second Test, finished with five for 109 while seamer Suranga Lakmal took three as the hosts were dismissed in 51.5 overs with a day to spare.
Bangladesh, who resumed the day at 35 for one, failed to cope with Sri Lanka’s pace and spin assault and lost their last nine wickets for 215 runs despite the even-paced pitch.
The hosts were reduced to 197 for nine before the last-wicket pair of Rubel Hossain and Al-Amin Hossain boosted the total with lusty hitting during an entertaining partnership of 53 runs off 38 balls.
Rubel made 17, while Al Amin returned unbeaten on a quickfire 32 off 18 balls that contained four sixes and one boundary.
Bangladesh, who made 232 in their first innings, conceded their highest Test total of 730 for six declared. Three Sri Lankans hit centuries including Mahela Jayawardene, who scored an unbeaten double-ton.
Jayawardene, who was named man of the match, said he was happy to contribute to what was a “great game” by the team.
“It has been some time since I got a big one,” the 36-year-old former captain said. “I thought it was a great game by the team as everyone put their hands up and performed.
“I think the wicket played really well, and even today there was a little bit of pace for our quicks, and for the spinners it was turning, but the important thing was the bounce which really helped us.
“Test cricket is all about handling situations, that is where our guys did well. We applied ourselves and made sure we did not lose wickets up front.”
Sri Lanka have now won 14 of their 15 Tests against Bangladesh, eight of them by an innings margin, and drawn the other.
On their previous tour in 2008/09, Sri Lanka had won the first Test by 107 runs and the second by 465 runs.
Bangladesh, who languish at the bottom of the Test rankings at No 10 – lower than unfancied Zimbabwe – have lost 68 of their 82 Tests since gaining full status in 2000.
They have won four Tests, two each against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.
Mushfiqur Rahim, the Bangladesh captain, rued the lack of runs in the first innings that set his team back.
“It was a good wicket to bat on, but we did not play well from day one and that put us on the back foot,” he said. “It is very difficult to come back from there.
“The boys just did not show the fight in the middle. Hopefully we will come back strongly in the next Test. We need to work on our batting. It is important that someone from the top plays a big innings.”
Opener Shamsur Rahim was dismissed off the second ball of the day, fending at a vicious short ball from Shaminda Eranga and edging a catch to Dinesh Chandimal, the wicketkeeper.
Mominul Haque smashed eight boundaries in a fluent 50 off 57 balls, but the assault did not last long as he fell leg-before to Perera.
The second Test starts in the port city of Chittagong on February 4. It will be followed by two Twenty20 matches and three one-day internationals.
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Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
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Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
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Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
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Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
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When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
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US federal gun reform since Sandy Hook
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- July 2015: Bill to require background checks for all gun sales is introduced in House of Representatives. It is not brought to a vote.
- June 12, 2016: Orlando shooting. Barack Obama calls on Congress to renew law prohibiting sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines.
- October 1, 2017: Las Vegas shooting. US lawmakers call for banning bump-fire stocks, and some renew call for assault weapons ban.
- February 14, 2018: Seventeen pupils are killed and 17 are wounded during a mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.
- December 18, 2018: Donald Trump announces a ban on bump-fire stocks.
- August 2019: US House passes law expanding background checks. It is not brought to a vote in the Senate.
- April 11, 2022: Joe Biden announces measures to crack down on hard-to-trace 'ghost guns'.
- May 24, 2022: Nineteen children and two teachers are killed at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.
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Company: Eco Way
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About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
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In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
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