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Published : 21 Jun 2025, 03:53 PM
The Galle Test has ended in a damp draw after Najmul Hossain Shanto’s go-slow century and a bafflingly late declaration left Bangladesh with too little time to force a result against Sri Lanka.
Set 286 to win in 37 overs, Sri Lanka limped to 72 for 4 in fading light on Saturday, with Bangladesh left to rue a sluggish scoring rate and a missed window to push the game.
Shanto carried his bat for 125 not out, adding to his first-innings hundred and becoming the first Bangladesh batter to score twin tons in a Test more than once.
But his strike rate, and the team's decision to bat on after a long rain delay, took the edge off his feat.
Bangladesh began the day on 177 for 3 and crawled through the opening session.
Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim added just 60 in 19 overs before Mushfiqur was run out for 49 off 102 balls.
Rain then wiped out three hours of play.
Even with a 247-run cushion and just 50 overs left in the match, Bangladesh returned to bat instead of declaring.
Litton Das (3) and Zakir Hasan (2) fell quickly, but Shanto inched along with Nayeem Hasan, going 13 overs without finding the boundary.
He eventually reached his ton off 190 balls and signed off with three sixes before the declaration finally came.
As captain, Shanto joined an elite list--just the 16th in Test history with twin centuries in a match.
Sri Lanka’s top order looked positive early, crunching six boundaries in the first six overs, but Bangladesh’s spinners quickly found rhythm.
Nayeem struck first, removing first-innings centurion Pathum Nissanka for 24.
Debutant Lahiru Udara followed for 9, and in his final Test innings, Angelo Mathews scratched around for 8 off 45 before Mominul Haque held a sharp one at silly point.
Taijul Islam finished with 3 for 22, knocking over Dinesh Chandimal with a beauty.
Kamindu Mendis was dropped on 5 by Mushfiqur at mid-off late in the day.
The series decider will begin Wednesday at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.
