PERFORMER OF THE DAY: MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN

After having seemingly struggled over the last three months to get back to his rhythm since his return from a shoulder surgery, sensational seamer Mustafizur Rahman finally looked like getting back to his best on the opening day of the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka yesterday. The 21-year-old left-armer bowled a nagging line and length throughout the 15 overs he bowled, conceding only 32 runs and taking two wickets. Mustafizur got the first wicket of the day, inducing Dimuth Karunaratne to poke at a widish delivery outside off-stump before taking the last one of the day, that off Dilruwan Perera, inducing a slash way outside the line. Those weren't the best deliveries bowled by Mustafizur, but the constant pressure built by clever variation of pace and control over his line and length eventually forced the batsmen to play those false strokes.