Rangana Herath returned career-best match figures of 12-157 to propel Sri lanka to a seven-wicket win against Bangladesh on the fourth day of the second Test and 1-0 series victory.
Chasing 160 to win on Tuesday, Sri lanka reached the target losing three wickets, led by Tillakaratne Dilshan (57) and Kumar Sangakkara (55).
Herath made it a 35th birthday to remember with his 200th Test wicket, and career-best match and innings figures. He was man of the match at R Premadasa Stadium.
“After Murali, Herath has been the man for us,” Angelo Mathews said after his first series win as captain. “We have a lot to improve upon and lot to learn. Bangladesh played really well and put us under pressure, but I never really doubted my team.”
Bangladesh, 143-2 in its second innings late Monday, was all out for 265 by lunch on Tuesday.
left-arm spinner Herath, who took two wickets in two balls in Monday’s last session, took the first four on Tuesday morning, starting in the day’s first over.
When he had Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim caught at slip by his skipper Mathews, Herath had 4-25 off 7.1 overs in the session and brought up his 200th wicket in his 47th test.
At the end of the innings, he’d posted 7-89 off 36 overs. In the first innings he took 5-68.
It was the third time he’s taken 10 wickets or more in a test, improving on his 12-171 against England at Galle last year.
Dilshan and Shaminda Eranga grabbed the last Bangladesh wickets, then Dilshan opened the batting after lunch.
Bangladesh seamer Robiul Islam took the wickets of both openers, dismissing Dimuth Karunaratne (16) lbw and bowling out Dilshan.
Dilshan hit six boundaries off 73 deliveries and shared 94 for the second wicket with Sangakkara, who faced 85 deliveries and hit eight boundaries.
Sangakkara, who made three straight centuries before Tuesday’s half-century, was declared player of the series. Mathews said he was under pressure in leading a younger team in his first series.
Brief Scores
Sri lanka: 346 (Sangakkara 139, Chandimal 102) and 160/3 (Dilshan 57, Sangakkara 55) beat Bangladesh: 240 (Mominul64, Herath 5-68) and 265 (Tamim 59, Herath 7-89) by seven wickets.