Sports Reporter :
The first Test match of the ICC Test Championship between the tourists Bangladesh and hosts Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka on Sunday last.
The match was a fifty-fifty affairs and Bangladesh dominated the first two and half days, while the Islanders dominated rest of the two and half days.
Though bowlers of Bangladesh hardly shone with cherry as the pitch was a dead one but batsmen of Bangladesh regained their confidence making notable scores.
Opener Tamim Iqbal deprived of a century for just ten runs in his first innings. He hit a superb 90. Later, Tamim Iqbal remained unbeaten with 74 in his second innings. It was Tamim’s 30th Test half-century.
Promising Najmul Hossain Shanto knocked a worthy 163 in the first innings but he was dismissed for naught in the second innings.
Mominul Haque played a captain’s knock of 127 in the first innings and remained unbeaten with 23 runs in his second innings.
Mushfiqur Rahim remained unbeaten with a superb 68 in his first innings, while Liton Das hit an exact 50 in his first innings.
Opener Saif Hassan totally failed with his willow. He was dismissed for zero in the first innings, while he was removed for one in his second innings.
Pacer Taskin Ahmed reclaimed his consistency. He grabbed three wickets in the space of 112 runs.
Experienced left-arm spinner Taijul Islam bagged two wickets at the cost of 163 runs.
Pacer Ebadot Hossain and right-arm spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz got one wicket each conceding 99 and 161 runs respectively.
Team Leader of Bangladesh Cricket team Khaled Mahmud Sujon said, ” Sri Lanka are strong side in their home soil. Bangladesh played with three pacers. All of them are inexperienced. Abu Jayed played maximum 10 Test matches. On the other hand, Taskin and Ebadot played maximum four Test matches. ,So their job were not easy. After gaining experience, They will do their job properly.”
