Mushfiqur Rahim became the first Bangladesh batter to reach 5,000 test runs, scoring an unbeaten 85 to help the home team cut the first-innings deficit to 12 runs at lunch Wednesday on Day 4 of the series opener against Sri Lanka.
Mushfiqur shared an unbroken 165-run partnership with Litton Das, who was not out on 88, as Bangladesh reached 385-3 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 397.
He was 15 runs short of the 5,000-run milestone when play resumed and hit the mark, in his 81st test match, with two runs to fine leg off pace bowler Asitha Fernando.
The batting pair added 67 runs in a slow-moving morning session against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack.
The 35-year-old Mushfiqur, who made his test debut in 2005 against England at Lord’s, hit just three boundaries in his 222-ball innings.
Liton, who curbed his aggression, stroked 10 boundaries from the 188 deliveries he faced.
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was within reach of the 5,000 test milestone in this innings but had to retire hurt on 133 — 19 runs short — because of a muscle cramp.
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