Can shaky Tigers hold on?

Bangladesh once again dug themselves into a hole just when it seemed that the second and series-deciding Test match against Sri Lanka may end in a draw as their fragile top-order made even saving the Test match on the fifth and final day an extremely difficult task.

The Bangladeshi batters appeared to have not learned any lessons from their horrible first-innings disaster, when they were left reeling on 25 for five inside seven overs. In their second innings, the hosts failed just as miserably after being tasked with negotiating the last hour of the day in Mirpur and were left reeling on 23 for four.

First-innings centurions Mushfiqur Rahim (14 not out) and Liton Das (one not out) will once again have to play special knocks, especially given that the Tigers are still trailing by 107 runs.

Opener Tamim Iqbal was bowled for a pair for the first time in Tests after becoming the first batter to be dismissed when he edged a catch to second slip off the bowling of Asitha Fernando.

Things quickly went from bad to worse as Najmul Hossain Shanto was run out before skipper Mominul Haque continued his poor run as he departed without troubling the scorers after providing an outside edge to the keeper off the bowling of Kasun Rajitha. Mominul has now failed to reach double digits in his last seven innings.

Despite finding a slice of luck and being dropped at third slip early in the innings, opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy was the fourth wicket to fall, becoming Fernando's second victim.

Earlier, Sri Lanka took a 141-run first-innings lead, riding on overnight batters Angelo Matthews and Dinesh Chandimal, who both struck centuries and frustrated the Bangladeshi bowlers.

Bangladesh finally managed to break their 199-run sixth-wicket stand in the final session as Ebadot Hossain removed Chandimal (124). Angelo Matthews however remained unbeaten on 145 but, courtesy of Shakib Al Hasan's 19th five-wicket haul, Bangladesh managed to bundled Sri Lanka out for 506.