Mominul Haque’s century powered Bangladesh to earn a draw with touring Sri Lanka in the second Test on the fifth and final day at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Saturday.
Promising Mominul remained unbeaten with exact 100. His 167-ball knock was laced with 11 boundaries. It was Mominul’s third Test century in his career.
Sri Lanka clinched the two-Test series 1-0.
The visitors registered a huge an innings and 248-run victory over the hosts in the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on January 30.
Winning in the coin session Sri Lanka decided to bat first and piled up a mammoth 587 in the first innings on the second day.
In reply, Bangladesh made 426 in the first innings on the fourth day.
Later, Sri Lanka declared their second innings scoring 305 for the loss of four wickets and set a target of 467-run to win for Bangladesh. In reply, Bangladesh made 271 for the loss of three wickets before the second Test came to a worthy draw for the Tigers.
Bangladesh scored 12 for the loss of none at the end of the fourth day play.
Openers Tamim Iqbal and Shamsur Rahman resumed their first innings with the overnight score of seven and four runs respectively.
Later, they added more 59 runs before Tamim Iqbal was cleanly bowled out by Kithuruwan Vithanage when the hosts’ total was 71 for the loss of one wicket. Tamim scored 31 off 102 balls including five boundaries.
After departure of Tamim, Imrul Kayes came at the crease, but Kayes and Shamsur Rahman failed to build notable partnership as Shamsur Rahman was bowled out by Dilruwan Perera when Bangladesh’s score was 81 for the loss of two wickets. Shamsur Rahman made 45 from 96 balls with six boundaries.
Then, Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque put on together 70 runs for the third wicket stand before Imrul Kayes was trapped leg before wicket by Perera for 25 when the home sides’ score was 151 for the loss of three wickets.
Later, Mominul Haque and Shakib Al Hasan contributed together 120 runs in the unbroken fourth wicket stand.
Shakib Al Hasan remained unbeaten with 43. His 88-ball knock was studded with five boundaries.
Perera bagged two wickets instead of 55 runs, while Vithanage got one wicket conceding 73 runs.
Kumar Sangakkara was adjudged Man of the Match for his outstanding 319 in the first innings. He was also adjudged the Player of the Series for his consistent batting performance.
