Brief Scorecard
Sri Lanka 1st Innings 397 All Out in 153 Overs (Angelo Mathews 199, Dinesh Chandimal 66, Kushal Mendis 54, Oshada Fernando 36, Naeem Hasan 6/105, Shakib Al Hasan 3/60)
Sri Lanka 2nd Innings 260/6 (Niroshan Dickwala 61*, Dimuth Karunaratne 52, Kusal Mendis 48, Dinesh Chandimal 39*, Dhananjaya de Silva 33, Taijul Islam 4/82)
Bangladesh 1st Innings 465 All Out in 170.1 Overs (Tamim Iqbal 133*, Mushfiqur Rahim 105, Mahmudul Hasan Joy58, Liton K Das 88 , Shakib Al Hasan 25, Kasun Rajitha 4/60 , Asitha Fernando3/72)
Match Drawn
Player of the match: Angelo Mathews
Batting with a plan, battling bravely Sri Lanka escaped unhurt. When captains agreed to call off the test Sri Lanka batting second time were 260/6. Bangladesh created some moments of anxiety for the tourists. But captain Karunaratne at the top, Niroshan Dickwala and Chandimal at the crucial stage had the patience, quality and temperament to anchor their ship to safety.
Taijul, Shakib and Naeem creating webs of spin on the last day wicket could not do enough to squeeze home a win. Bangladesh bowling attack got poorer with Shoriful joining Taskin and Meraj being ruled out for the series. Few would agree that Bangladesh playing safety first when batting in the only innings lost an opportunity.
ZACS, Sagorika, Chottogram maintained its high scoring drawn tradition. In 5 days only a little over two and a half innings of four was completed. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka fought out another drawn match. With this 3 out of nine tests played between two teams ended drawn. The tourists won six. Wicket stayed firm, neither assisted spin nor pace. For the tourists pacers exposed lack of technique of Bangladesh batters while superior Bangladeshi spinners dominated Lankan batsmen when they batted. Both teams had ideal batting practice it can be concluded.
If one sums up, one would say Bangladesh was possibly ultra defensive in their first innings in the first session of day four. Mushfique and Litton scored only 67 in two hours. While on day five visitors rather looked positive. Dimuth and Kushal blasted 67 runs in 12.3 overs in the first hour. Kushal scored a quick fire 48 off 43 deliveries striking 8 fours and a six .Had he not been cleaned up by Taijul Lankans could have raced further. Setting a target for Bangladesh they could have pressed for a positive result. But Taijul dealing another deadly blow through sending back first innings hero and the man of the match Angelo Mathews for a duck pegged them back.
Bangladesh created chance after lunch as well. Again Taijul taking the wickets of Karunaratne and Dhananjaya showed glimse of hope. But Dickwala and Chandimal had the skills, temperament in pulling their team out of troubled water. Their 7th wicket unbeaten partnership of 99 ensured that teams proceed to tigers den at Dhaka to unlock the series.
Both sides had some positives to carry home. Sri Lanka batted well in their innings and a half. Karunaratne, Mendis, Mathhews , Chandimal, Dickwala all scored runs. Kasun Rajitha looked menacing at times against poorly skilled Bangladeshi batsmen against swing. Tamim, Mushfique, Joy , Litton batted well . Bangladeshi spinners Taijul, Naeem, Shakib were true in their elements but lacked penetrations in running through Sri Lankans in two innings. It is very difficult working out which team gained from the test. However, Mushfique earned a very special milestone of the first batsman for the country crossing 5000 test runs.
He proved firmly that he is not finished yet . There should not be any worries about his form and fitness. Tamim equally reestablished his indispensability in formats he opts playing now. Joy showed his maturity and Litton continued in his sweet merry mood. Bangladesh should decide whether to alter number three in the batting order at Dhaka adding Mosaddeq in late middle order or sticking with Shanto. Mominul has to get back to form as well. Bangladesh will need to short out top order batting before naming squad for West Indies tour.
Sri Lanka looks better prepared for the next very important home series against mighty Australia and Pakistan.
