Tense Draw in Galle: Sri Lanka and Bangladesh Battle it Out

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh concluded their first Test in Galle with a hard-fought draw. Despite a challenging chase of 296 runs, Sri Lanka held firm, with Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis stabilizing after key dismissals. Shanto's twin centuries highlighted the match amidst strong performances from bowlers Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan.

The first Test in Galle between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ended in an intense draw on Day 5, as Sri Lanka resiliently batted out 32 overs in the final session. Despite a precarious scenario where they lost four wickets, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis ensured a stalemate, shaking hands with Bangladesh with five overs still remaining.

In a daunting pursuit of 296 runs, the partnership between Dhananjaya and Kamindu became vital after the rapid dismissals of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, courtesy of an excellent performance by Taijul Islam, claiming 3 for 23. However, Bangladesh's efforts from Taijul and Nayeem Hasan proved insufficient to dismantle the remaining Sri Lankan batting lineup within the allotted 37 overs.

Bangladesh set Sri Lanka a target of 296 runs in 37 overs, aiming for a decisive win, after they added 48 post-lunch runs. Najmul Hossain Shanto's second century became a landmark, marking the third such instance for Bangladesh in a Test. Asitha Fernando, with four wickets, led Sri Lanka's bowling attack, while standout performances from both teams led to a compelling encounter concluded by mutual respect.

(With inputs from agencies.)