Sri Lanka Seizes Control Against Bangladesh; Mendis Predicts Big Lead with Spin Threat

Kusal Mendis, the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter, expressed confidence that a lead of 150-200 runs would put his team in a dominant position, particularly with the expectation of spin playing a significant role in the final two days of the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka concluded Day 2 with a score of 290/2, establishing a 43-run lead in the first innings. This was largely thanks to Pathum Nissanka's impressive unbeaten 146 and Dinesh Chandimal's solid 93.

Mendis credited Nissanka for his brilliant batting display © AFP

"We are in a very good position, and tomorrow we have to bat the whole day. We will try to get a lead of 150 to 200. We hope the wicket will spin on the final two days," Mendis stated after the day's play.

The team's strategy is clear: to accumulate as many runs as possible, aiming for a total exceeding 400. Mendis believes that the deteriorating pitch conditions will favor spin bowlers as the match progresses.

"We're planning to score as much as possible - get something over 400. Hopefully, we can do that tomorrow."

"The grass has dried out, footmarks are forming, and I expect it to turn more. We are not looking to bat in the fourth innings. We want to bat deep now and put them under pressure," he added.

Mendis not only lauded Nissanka's batting prowess but also acknowledged the crucial contribution of their pace bowlers in dismissing Bangladesh for under 250 runs.

"He (Pathum) has been a treat to watch. He batted so well. Even in the last series, he was amongst the runs. It was a shame he missed out on a double hundred in Galle - I hope he gets there here. He has been our in-form batter in all three formats. He works hard on his game, and that's clearly visible."

He further added: "What we planned, the quicks executed. They were disciplined with their lengths and lines. On a pitch with not much pace, that's exactly what you need - not just with the new ball, but with the old ball too. That's the best I have seen our fast bowlers bowl in Sri Lanka."

"We knew the wicket would slow down and turn. Our fast bowlers were outstanding, and they deserve a lot of credit. I believe as we head into Day Four, conditions will be very different to what we've seen so far," Mendis concluded.

On the other side, Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons attributed their performance to the batting unit's failure to forge substantial partnerships, noting the noticeable change in the wicket's behavior during the second innings.

"Where we missed a trick was not building big partnerships yesterday, and as a result, we went into today with only two or three wickets in hand."

He emphasized the importance of converting starts into significant scores: "It comes back to our batting and the partnerships we failed to build. At least two or three guys should have carried on yesterday and gotten big scores. I hope we've taken note of how well Nissanka batted, and that we come out in the second innings aiming for big runs."

Simmons also commented on the evolving pitch conditions: "The wicket definitely improved as on the first day, it was a bit sticky and two-paced. Today, it got a lot better, and we saw how easy it was for the batters. There wasn't as much turn as yesterday, and the batters batted well. That's what Test cricket is about sometimes," he added.