Ratnayake Acknowledges Bangladesh’s Batting Dominance, Says Galle Pitch Flattened Out

Sri Lanka off-spinner Tharindu Ratnayake lauded Bangladesh’s batting effort at the end of Day 1 of the Galle Test, admitting that the pitch gradually became more favorable for batting as the day progressed.

Bangladesh ended the opening day strongly at 292 for 3, riding on a brilliant unbeaten 247-run stand between Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim, both of whom notched up impressive centuries.

Of the three wickets to fall, two were claimed by Ratnayake himself — Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque, both caught off his bowling. Reflecting on the day in the post-match press conference, Ratnayake said:

"The wicket helped the bowlers a bit in the first session, but later it flattened out. Towards the end, it wasn’t easy to bowl. But credit to the batters — they batted really well."

Praising the Bangladesh duo’s resilience and skill, he added:

"Both of them played brilliantly. They handled the conditions very well."

When asked what to expect from the pitch on Day 2, the 28-year-old spinner responded briefly with a cautious “maybe yes”, suggesting the surface could continue to favor the batters.

Despite being in a challenging position, Sri Lanka remain wary and hopeful. With the pitch offering less assistance, it may fall upon the home side’s spinners — including Ratnayake — to make inroads and bring the hosts back into the contest.