"One of the best partnerships I have seen as a coach in Tests": Domingo
Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo was all joyful as he witnessed one of the best partnerships in his coaching career in Tests.
Litton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim stunned Sri Lanka, putting on a record partnership after a sensational collapse that saw Bangladesh slump to 24-5 in the first half-an-hour of the opening day of the second and final cricket Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.
They kept them unscathed throughout the day after that horrible 30 minutes to lift Bangladesh to 277-5 at stumps. Litton Das was batting on 135 with Mushfiqur Rahim on 115, sharing a record 253-run in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand.
They made the highest partnership for the sixth wicket or lower after losing the first five wickets for 25 runs or less, breaking the record of Wallis Mathias and Shujauddin, who added 86 after their team West Indies lost the first wicket for 22 runs against Pakistan in Dhaka in 1959.
Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo was all joyful as he witnessed one of the best partnerships in his coaching career in Tests. Domingo said:
"It is one of the best partnerships I have seen as a coach in Tests. We were 20 for five. Under a lot of pressure. It was an amazing effort by those two batters."
Domingo also mentioned the failure of the top order and appreciated the character Mushfiqur and Litton showed.
"Obviously we didn't start well this morning. Couple of false shots. Couple of good deliveries. Test cricket is hard but those guys showed amazing skill and character to get us in this good position."
Russell Domingo is hopeful his Tigers will bring up a good first innings score if Mushfiqur and Litton can survive the early hours of day 2.
"All our focus is in the first session. We know that we are two wickets away from being in a tricky position again. The average score here in first innings here is 314. If these two can get through the first hour tomorrow, it puts us in a really good position. If they can get us through to 300 with Mosaddek to come… We can't think too far ahead."
Domingo was wary of how the Mirpur pitch works and believes his side has a match in hand.
"I thought it was a good wicket. The rate was fantastic today but knowing Mirpur, the game speeds up. You can bowl a side out in two or three sessions."
