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'This is wild': Cricket world erupts over 'insane' 145-year first

Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das, pictured here in action for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh made the highest score in Test history in an innings featuring six ducks. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The cricket world was left completely stunned on Wednesday as Bangladesh achieved a bizarre feat not seen in 145 years of Test cricket.

Mushfiqur Rahim made an unbeaten 175 and Liton Das hit 141 on day two of the second Test against Sri Lanka.

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Rahim and Das combined for a record sixth-wicket partnership of 272 runs, but they were the only two batters to fire for Bangladesh.

In extraordinary scenes, the other nine batters only provided 49 of Bangladesh's runs as the hosts were bowled out for 365.

Six batters were dismissed for ducks, with Bangladesh scoring the highest total in 145 years of Test cricket in an innings that contained six scores of 0.

The previous record was India's 152 against England at Old Trafford in 2014, while Pakistan made 128 against West Indies in Karachi in 1980.

Bangladesh had been reduced to 5-24 before Rahim and Das' heroics, with openers Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Tamim Iqbal both dismissed for 0.

Shakib Al Hasan then made the third duck of the innings, before tail-enders Mosaddek Hossain, Khaled Ahmed and Ebadat Hossain were all dismissed without troubling the scorers.

Das' century made him the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket this calendar year, taking his total to 506 runs at an average if 56.22.

“I think I have been playing the pull shot quite well in the last year-and-a-half,” Das said.

“The control was with me. I believed that I could get out of the situation if he was bowling short. I can keep scoring. I kept playing the pull shot because I had the confidence to play the pull.

“When I go to bat, even if the team score is 300 runs, I am under pressure. When I am batting at five wickets down (quickly), I am still under pressure. I start from zero.

"The normal conversation with Mushfiq was to drag the innings as much as possible. Our first target was to play till lunch.”

Sri Lanka reaches 5-282 on stumps at day three

Sri Lanka finished on 5-282 on the rain-interrupted third day in Dhaka.

The hosts reduced the first innings deficit to 83 runs before the bad light brought a premature end to the day's play.

Angelo Mathews, who scored 199 in the first Test, was not out on 58 with Dinesh Chandimal had 10.

“The target is to take a lead first and then make it bigger,” Sri Lanka coach Navid Nawaz said.

“We’ve got two experienced batters in the wicket at this moment and hopefully they will be successful to execute the plan.

"I think still it is possible to win the game from this situation.”

Angelo Mathews, pictured here in action during the second Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Angelo Mathews in action during the second Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne hit 80 from 155 balls with nine fours, while Dhananjaya de Silva made 58.

Sri Lanka started day three on 2-143, but lost nightwatchman Kasun Rajitha with the second delivery of the day when paceman Ebadot Hossain (2-78) bowled him with an express delivery.

Left-arm spinner Shakib, who returned figures of 3-59, rattled the stumps of Karunaratne after spinning a delivery sharply past his bat as Sri Lanka slipped to 5-164.

“He (Shakib) is a smart operator. He changes his pace really subtly. He showed again, chipped away,” Bangladesh pace bowling coach Alan Donald said.

“Hopefully he walks away with a five-wicket haul tomorrow. It is awesome to have him in the team. His experience and leadership is priceless.”

with agencies

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