Bangladesh stitch 100-run opening stand after more than five years

Bangladesh openers were able to stitch a 100-run stand after over five years in Tests on the third day of their first Test against Sri Lanka at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram today. 

Having started the day on 76 for no loss, the opening duo of Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudul Hasan Joy brought up their 100-run stand in the 24th over. 

The last time that Bangladesh had a 100-run stand was also against Sri Lanka, a 118-run between Tamim and Soumya Sarkar at Galle in 2017. Since then, in the following 31 Tests, Bangladesh crossed fifty runs for the opening stand 10 times but was never able to get to the three-figure mark. 

At the time of this report being filed, Bangladesh were 140 for no loss in 40 overs in reply to Sri Lanka's 397 in the first innings. Tamim, unbeaten on 79, was approaching his 10th Test ton while Joy was not out on 55.