The first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka ended in a draw on Saturday after rain interruptions and a failed chase from the home side.
Sri Lanka ended on 72 for 4 after resisting a late push. Bangladesh had started the day at 177 for 3.
The plan was simple—score quickly and build a lead before declaring.
Shanto continued aggressively and was given a reprieve on 66 when a sharp chance at silly point was dropped. Mushfiqur, less fluent, reached 49 before a misjudged run ended his innings. He played 102 balls before getting run out despite the ball being with the mid-on fielder.
Rain interrupted play soon after, forcing an early lunch.
Post-Rain Push and Shanto’s Milestone
When play resumed, Bangladesh looked to push the lead fast. But the momentum dipped. Litton Das lasted only five balls before falling to spinner Tharindu Ratnayake. Zakir Ali followed in similar fashion, stumped after misreading a turning delivery.
Shanto, now settled, continued to anchor the innings. He cruised to a second series century, ending on 125* (189), then smashed three straight sixes off Jayasuriya and Ratnayake.
With the lead extended, Bangladesh declared at 285 for 6, setting Sri Lanka a target of 296 in 37 overs. Nayeem Hasan remained not out on 7.
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Sri Lanka’s Shaky Start in Chase
Chasing a steep target, Sri Lanka began with intent. Openers Pathum Nissanka and Lahiru Udara hit a few boundaries early on, scoring 27 in the first five overs. But Bangladesh struck quickly.
Udara was stumped off Taijul Islam in the sixth over. Nissanka fell soon after, caught behind for 24, giving Nayeem Hasan a breakthrough. Sri Lanka slipped to 34 for 2.
From there, the chase slowed. Angelo Mathews, playing his final Test, was dismissed for 8 by Taijul, caught sharply at silly point by Mominul Haque. Just 19 balls later, Dinesh Chandimal was bowled by Taijul, struggling to read the spin.
Sri Lanka’s innings crumbled to 48 for 4, but Mushfiqur Rahim dropped a catch later that could have given Bangladesh a fifth. Sri Lanka survived without further loss.
Match Called Off as Draw
With time running out and Sri Lanka at 72 for 4, both captains agreed to end the match. The game was declared a draw.
Bangladesh took four points from the match as part of the new World Test Championship cycle. Sri Lanka also opened their account with the same.
Shanto’s century and Taijul’s three wickets were Bangladesh’s highlights. Mathews, in his farewell Test, got a warm send-off despite a low score.
Bangladesh’s next challenge in the series is expected to continue next week, as both teams look for a breakthrough in the longer format.
