Shakib Al Hasan has drawn encouragement from his team's gutsy display in their first Test defeat to Sri Lanka.

The 21-year-old was named man of the match yesterday after a fine display with both bat and ball. He claimed five wickets in the first innings and hit 96 as the hosts chased a daunting victory target of 521.

Shakib looked to be closing in on what would have been his first Test century, but with the milestone in sight he sent an inside edge on to the stumps chasing a full delivery from Dammika Prasad.

That left the Tigers on 403 for seven but running out of capable batsmen, and the tourists pounced to take full advantage and clinch a 107-run win to go 1-0 up in the two-Test series.

"There was dissatisfaction for not reaching the hundred and getting the victory," admitted Shakib.

"But still the team comes first to me because at one stage it seemed it was possible to achieve the target."

Bangladesh will aim to channel that fighting spirit into levelling the series by winning the second Test at Chittagong Divisional Stadium.

And Shakib, for one, is relishing the challenge.

"What I always said was that I enjoy cricket," he said. "I feel good when I enter the ground. That's it.

"My performance has been improving day by day and there will be something happening if I can continue the trend."

He may not find the Chittagong pitch as much to his liking as Mirpur's Shere Bangla National Stadium, however.

"I think day by day the wicket improved and in my opinion it's the best wicket in the country," he said of the Mirpur pitch.

"The other thing is that we played well at home because we are playing this series after a tough tour in South Africa."

That 2-0 series whitewash at the hands of the Proteas last November came hot on the heels of a 1-0 defeat in a closely-fought two-Test series at home to New Zealand in October.

Bangladesh have only one previous Test victory to their names - over Zimbabwe in Chittagong four years ago - but Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is nevertheless not taking anything for granted.

"In the last couple of Test matches they were very close to winning against New Zealand and probably one (Test) against South Africa as well," said the visiting skipper.

"So we know they are capable of doing."