1st Test , SL Vs BAN 2025 Highlights : The Surprising Turn of Events That Led Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to a Draw in Galle .

1ST TEST, SRI LANKA Vs BANGLADESH , GALLE HIGHLIGHTS : The Surprising Turn of Events That Led Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to a Draw in Galle .

Najmul Hossain Shanto’s seventh Test hundred and a spirited display from the Bangladesh bowlers were the highlights of a rain-marred fifth day’s play in Galle where the opening Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ended in a draw. Captain Angelo Mathews, playing his last Test, was bowled for 8 off 45 balls after a 13-run partnership off 81 balls with Chandimal. Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva failed anew to forge a useful stand stand 24, soaked up almost nine overs and guided Sri Lanka into quieter waters. It is Galle’s first draw in 26 Tests. The Surprising Turn of Events That Led Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to a Draw in Galle .

TOSS-

Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bat.

PLAYING XI-

Sri Lanka Squad:

Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kusal Mendis (wk), Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Tharindu Ratnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando

Bangladesh Squad:

Shadman Islam, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana

DAY-1

It was Angelo Matthews’ last Test, and Shanto did not hesitate in batting first, even as Shadman Islam began proceedings with a flourish, an elegant flick on the onside. His opening partner Anamul Haque failed to get his innings underway, falling for a 10-ball duck, poking one to the ‘keeper. The hosts had turned to spin as soon as the eighth over, introducing Tharindu Rathnayake to the attack. Mominul Haque introduced the sweep to great effect with two boundaries off the offspinner. But Tharindu had Mominul caught behind, only for the effort to be dropped by Dhananjaya de Silva.

Tharindu now got his first scalp in the next few overs as Shadman nicked to de Silva at slip, where the Sri Lankan captain made no mistake. De Silva then made amends for dropping Mominul as Rathanyake struck again in quick succession.

Shanto and Rahim came together under pressure as early as the 17th over. Unlike the Bangladesh top-three, Shanto was nimble with his feet against the spinners. He skipped down the pitch a number of times, and produced some stunning shots down the ground and inside-out over extra cover. At the other end, Rahim danced around with the gamesmanship of his deft touch against the spin of Tharindu and Prabath Jayasuriya.

The tourists remained positive after Lunch as Rahim read the length brilliantly and struck two off Asitha Fernando. But the return of pace did not work with Fernando conceding boundaries to Shanto as well before the hosts went to Milan Rathnayake instead. Shanto and Rahim completed their 50s off consecutive balls and both batsmen had the century partnership together. Rahim then brought out the slog-sweep against Jayasuirya, Shanto on the other hand continued to get down the track with success versus Tharindu. The visitors had a stunning second session, scoring 92 without loss.

 

An unbroken 247-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Najmul Hossain Shanto (136\*) and senior statesman Mushfiqur Rahim (105\*) allowed Bangladesh to have their noses in front on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. After a nervous first hour of play, the fledgling right-left combination of Nafees and Imrul drove Bangladesh from 45 for 3 to 292 for 3 at Stumps.

DAY-2

Having backed Shanto to get his maiden double-century late into Day 1, with the left-hander beginning the day with an easy flick through mid-wicket to the fence as Bangladesh eclipsed 300 in the morning session. He survived an LBW appeal on 142, but was dismissed six runs later, chipping one to Matthews off Asitha Fernando.

Rahim creamed two boundaries soon after Lunch to bring up his 150 and Litton dealt with fuller deliveries from Rathnayake as the visitors crossed the 400-run mark. Litton also completed his half-century from only 64 balls, a 100-run stand quickly arriving as the visitors sought to up the momentum. Just before the rain-break in the middle session, he was lucky to survive after an LBW shout against him was reviewed by Shami and ball-tracking revealed an umpire’s call on wickets.

But after a 2.5 hour break, Litton resumed his fileting of Jayasuriya’s offerings, playing flat-batted shots to the boundary. He belted four boundaries off Jayasuriya in three overs in this phase. Litton paddleswept Tharindu as he went past the nineties but Rahim was finally given out leg-before, ending the 149-run federation. From thereon, it was a spirited effort from Sri Lanka as Tharindu removed Litton for 90, sending in two new batsmen against the onstage attack.

Milan Rathnayake castle Jaker Ali and then came back in his next over to dismiss Taijul Islam in a fine effort. He then picked up a third wicket later in the day when Nayeem Hasan gloved one to Kusal Mendis behind the stumps, leaving the hosts with an outside chance of keeping Bangladesh under 500.

It was another harum-scarum day for Bangladesh with the willow in Galle, against Sri Lanka. Mushfiqur Rahim top-scored with 163 as he continued his fine form with the bat, his seventh Test 150+ score while Najmul Hossain Shanto compiled 148 and Litton Das 90 as Bangladesh ended the day at 484/9 at Stumps on Day 2.

DAY-3

Bangladesh started with four behind the wickets to Hasan Mahmud, and attempted to farm the strike with No.11 Nahid Rana up the other end. But with three balls to negotiate in the third over of the day, Rana was strangled down legside by Asitha Fernando as Bangladesh fell five short of the 500 mark in their first innings.

Nissanka and Lahiru Udara opened the innings for Sri Lanka, marking the first time a right-handed pair opened for the country in 30 years. Udara opened his and his side’s account with outside to a thick edge between slip and gully. Udara was particularly positive in the first 10 overs with some delightful flicks, reaching six boundaries as the Sri Lanka raced to 47. But against the run of play, provider turned recipient of a catch to Taijul Islam to see his innings end on 29.

Nissanka reached his 50 shortly after the start of the second session, as Chandimal continued to play with Nayeem, regularly cutting and sweeping him for boundaries. Chandimal then reached the 100-stand with a lucky boundary. Nissanka then hit three fours in the following over off Taijul, who conceded 14 runs. He then smacked Taijul with a slog sweep over wide long-on to blast into the nineties. He dragged Rana to the fence to move to 99 and reached the three-figure mark with a single two balls later. Nissanka continued to dominate even after completing his half century with two boundaries in an over off the young Rana.

Chandimal completed a 33rd Test half-century but also departed shortly after, edging one to leg-slip. But Angelo Matthews in his final Test, prevented Bangladesh form making further in roads with a gritty 39 off 69 balls. He slog-swept Taijul for six towards the Tea break with Sri Lanka creaming 133 runs in the second session.

Nissanka was clever in taking the ball behind the wicket off Nayeem and he also tackled Taijul over the top down the ground. The batter in question then reached 150 before making a mockery of Rana once more on a tiring day for the Bangladesh bowlers. The 89-run partnership was ended when Matthews nicked one to Litton Das off Mominul Haque as Bangladesh got a much-needed breakthrough.

But, soon after the new cherry was taken, Nissanka was cleaned up by a brilliant inswinger from Mahmud and he fell short of his 200 by a painful 13 runs. Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de silva then batted with little flourish to end the day on a productive note for the hosts.

DAY-4

Resuming at 368/4, Sri Lanka lost Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis early in the morning session. De Silva picked out the ‘keeper’s gloves off Nayeem Hasan and Kusal Mendis was caught down the leg-side off Hasan Mahmud. Kamindu Mendis then passed fifty and combined well with Milan Rathnayake to keep Sri Lanka on track of the Bangladeshi score. The pair traded in boundaries as did Mendis, who pulled a short delivery from Nahid Rana over the mid-wicket fence for a six, as they took Sri Lanka to 465/6 at Lunch.

Bangladesh struck in the first over of the second session, Milan Rathnayake forcing a Mahmud delivery onto his stumps trying to pull him for 39, ending a 84-run seventh-wicket stand. Kamindu Mendis followed two balls later, caught behind off Nayeem, who then had Tharindu Ratnayake bowled in the same over. Prabath Jayasuriya and Asitha Fernando managed a few fours but the latter was bowled by Nayeem, who got his fourth fifer in Tests after Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets for 20 runs after the lunch break to surrender a 10-run lead.

The Bangladesh openers batted watchfully at the start of their second innings but Anamul Haque edged Jayasuriya with umpire’s call aiding him on a leg-before appeal. Shadman got started with a brace of boundaries off Fernando, the first one an edge that flew fine of second slip. There wasn’t a promising start, though, the openers could manage, as Anamul was caught by the ‘keeper off Jayasuriya. Mominul Haque managed to pull Tharindu for a six although the bowler had the better of him a few overs later as the batsman top edged while playing the paddle sweep to leave the visitors at 65/2 at Tea.

Shanto and Shadman hit some boundaries at the start of the third session, and when the latter went past fifty, they also got Bangladesh past 100. Shadman then played pretty full-straight-drive for four off Fernando to register a valuable half-century stand. The batters gained in confidence with Shanto even employing the reverse sweep for a four off De Silva. The duo put on 68 before Milan broke the stand when he trapped Shadman leg before wicket — the left-hander’s dismissal leaving the Tigers with no reviews. There followed a valuable stand between Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim, with Shanto reaching a fifty late in the day.

DAY-5

Resuming the day on 177 for 3 in their second innings, a lead of 187, Bangladesh made a promising start as Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim pushed their partnership across three figures. The 80s were in sight for Shanto who struck boundaries on a regular basis while Rahim was also closing in on a half century as they team-mates added 56 for the fourth wicket in the morning session. Rahim, though, perished one short of a fifty, run out going for a quick single. Bangladesh were 237/4 when rain showered down from the heavens that led to a long break in play, resulting in an early Lunch being taken, and play recommencing only at 2:10 PM local time.

Tharindu Ratnayake chimed in with twin wickets shortly after play restarted, grabbing the scalps of Litton Das and Jaker Ali. Shanto, meanwhile, continued on towards three figures and eventually made it there to become the first Bangladesh batter to score hundreds in both innings of a Test twice. He then launched into a six-hitting spree, striking three maximums as Bangladesh declared and set Sri Lanka a target of 296 to win off 37 overs.

Sri Lanka also started the chase in a positive frame of mind, with Lahiru Udara and Pathum Nissanka smacking six fours between them in the first six overs. But Udara was caught off Taijul Islam and Nissanka went soon after, bowled by Nayeem Hasan. That meant Mathews, for that one last time was thrust to the crease and there the veteran, along with Dinesh Chandimal, guided Sri Lanka to Tea without further mishap but the pressure was on the hosts with the Bangladesh spinners extracting a lot of purchase from the Day 5 wicket.

Mendis and de Silva stood firm to take away opportunities for Bangladesh to force a result. They started cautiously before scoring at a healthy rate, even hitting a six off de Silva faced Nayeem. De Silva also survived a review and with five overs remaining the players shook hands and the match ended in a draw, with Sri Lanka on 72 for 4.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 495 (Mushfiqur Rahim 163, Najmul Hossain Shanto 148; Asitha Fernando 4-86) & 285/6 decl. (Najmul Hossain Shanto 125 not out, Shadman Islam 76; Tharindu Ratnayake 3-102) match drawn with Sri Lanka 485 (Pathum Nissanka 187, Kamindu Mendis 87; Nayeem Hasan 5-121) and 72 for 4 (Pathum Nissanka 24; Taijul Islam 3-23).