Rain and restraint lead to stalemate in Bangladesh-Sri Lanka 1st Test

Bangladesh narrowly missed out on a rare overseas Test victory as the rain-affected series opener against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium ended in a draw on Saturday. Despite holding a 251-run lead on the final day and a 50-over window available to force a result, Bangladesh chose a conservative route.

Overnight rain and a wet outfield delayed play on Day 5, reducing the morning session to just 80 minutes. With the match delicately poised, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to press on for a personal milestone, his second century of the match, rather than pushing aggressively for a win. He eventually declared Bangladesh’s second innings closed at 285 for 6, but not before nearly an hour of valuable time had been consumed and momentum had shifted.

Shanto’s feat was undeniably historic, he became just the 15th player in Test history to score centuries in both innings of a match on two separate occasions, having previously done so against Afghanistan in 2023. Yet, the timing of his declaration will be debated, especially as Bangladesh sought only its second Test win over Sri Lanka in 27 encounters.

Sri Lanka, set a target of 296, were put under pressure briefly but never found themselves in serious peril. Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan delivered a beauty to dismiss first-innings centurion Pathum Nissanka, while Taijul Islam made vital breakthroughs, removing Lahiru Udara, Angelo Mathews, and Dinesh Chandimal. However, the pitch offered little assistance, and the hosts comfortably played out the remaining overs to secure a draw.

“We wanted to declare early but rain forced us to rethink,” Shanto said. “Taijul bowled really well and so did Nayeem. He hasn`t had enough chances in the big stage, but he showed what a good bowler he is.”

The match also marked an emotional farewell for Mathews, who played his final Test innings, falling for eight. Bangladesh players offered heartfelt tributes as the veteran all-rounder exited the field. A former captain, Mathews led Sri Lanka to a historic Test series win in England in 2014 and featured in 119 Tests.

“It`s sad to walk away but the love I have received from everyone is truly amazing,” he said. “The best memory for me is winning the test series in England. Then of course we beat Australia 3-0 in 2016. Not often you whitewash the Aussies in a test series,” Mathews added. 

Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva praised Mathews as `a superb player and a leader` admitting, `those shoes are big shoes to fill`.

As the teams head to Colombo for the second Test beginning June 25, Sri Lanka must confront key questions: Who replaces Mathews in the middle order? And should Prabath Jayasuriya, who struggled with just one wicket, retain his place?

For Bangladesh, Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s return from illness provides a timely boost, especially on spin-friendly surfaces.

This article first appeared on Mid Day