First Test against SL drawn as rain denies Tamim ton

The first Test of the two-match series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka ended in a draw after rain interrupted the final day at Kandy on Sunday. 

Bangladesh, who trailed by 107 runs in the first innings, finished on 100/2 from 33 overs in the second innings as no furhter proceeding was possible after tea break due to rain.

Opener Tamim Iqbal was unbeaten on 74 building a 73-run unbroken third-wicket partnership along with captain Mominul Haque (23) recovering Bangladesh from the early blows and ensure a draw.

Bangladesh lost opener Saif Hasan (1) and first innings' centurion Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) early in the second innings after Sri Lanka declared on 648/8 during the lunch interval.

After a frustrating wicketless day on day-4, Bangladesh picked up five wickets in the fifth morning as the hosts tried to accelarate the run rate.

Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed removed both the centurions Dimuth Karunaratne (244) Dhananjaya de Silva (166) after the pair formed a mammoth 345-run stand to help Sri Lanka take lead in the first innings. 

Ebadot Hossain then join the party to get rid of Pathum Nissanka (12) followed by the run out of Niroshan Dickwella (31) when Sri Lanka were trying to add some quick runs to the score. Taijul Islam took his second wicket of the innings when he removed PWH de Silva (43). 

Earlier, Bangladesh declared their innings scoring 541 losing seven wickets as Mushfiqur Rahim was batting on 68 when Tigers made the declaration on day three. Nazmul Hossain Shanto struck 163 and captain Mominul Haque 127 helped Bangladesh to post a commanding 474 runs for the loss of four wickets at stumps on day two.

Ahead of the game, the green top had made the teams think of deploying a few pacers but as it happened, it remained flat throughout the day and just 10 wickets fell in first four days.

“It becomes tough for the bowlers in Test on such wicket. You will see that even they struggled. (Suranga) Lakmal bowled 35 overs when we batted. Others did pretty well. You get to create fewer chances because of the wicket. Even the best of deliveries are being hit for boundaries. We declared scoring 541. It would have been good had there been some help from the wicket. It was a tough day for the bowlers,” said Taskin to the media following the fourth day’s play Saturday.

BRIEF SCORES:
Bangladesh 2nd innings: 100/2 in 33 overs (Tamim 74*, Mominul 23*, Lakmal 2/21)
Sri Lanka 1st innings: 648/8 in 179 overs (Lakmal 23*, Fernando 0*, Karunaratne 244, Dhananjaya de Silva 166, Taskin 3/112, Taijul 2/164, Ebadot 1/99)
Bangladesh 1st innings: 541/7d in 173 overs (Shanto 163, Mominul 127, Fernando 4/96)
Result: Match drawn