Galle, June 21 (IANS) The opening Test of the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at Galle ended in a tense draw, with Sri Lanka managing to bat out 32 overs in the final session and finish at 72/4.

Though the result may seem straightforward on paper, it was far from uneventful, as Bangladesh pushed hard with the ball, and Sri Lanka weathered the storm just in time.

Chasing a theoretical target of 296 from 37 overs, Sri Lanka never seriously looked to go after the runs, but their path to safety wasn’t smooth either. They lost four wickets in the final session, with Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan exploiting the sharply turning surface expertly. Taijul was Bangladesh’s standout bowler, finishing with 3 for 23, including the key scalps of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal in quick succession.

The match, however, left behind a lingering “what if” for Bangladesh. After a two-and-a-half hour rain delay post-lunch, the visitors resumed batting rather than declaring immediately. Their clear aim was to allow skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto to complete his second century of the match — an achievement he reached 50 balls into the restart.

In that phase, Bangladesh added just 19 runs while losing two wickets before Shanto counter-attacked with a flurry of boundaries, including three sixes. But by the time the declaration came at 285/6, only 37 overs remained in the day.

Had Bangladesh pulled the plug on their innings earlier — even with a 247-run lead before the break — they could have had as many as 50 overs to bowl at Sri Lanka. The sharp turn and bounce on offer in the final session, partly due to moisture under the covers, aided the spinners considerably. Taijul and Nayeem looked threatening, and with more time, could have had a real shot at snatching victory.

Earlier in the match, Bangladesh’s first-innings foundation was laid by a mammoth 247-run stand between Shanto (148) and Mushfiqur Rahim (163), propelling them to 485. Sri Lanka were 10-runs less of total in reply, thanks to Pathum Nissanka’s career-best 187, with Chandimal and Kamindu Mendis contributing well. Nayeem Hasan led Bangladesh’s bowling effort with a five-wicket haul.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 495 & 285/6 in 87 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 125, Mushfiqur Rahim 49; Tharindu Rathnayake 3/102) draw against Sri Lanka 485 & 72/4 (Pathum Nissanka 24, Kamindu Mendis 12; Taijul Islam 3/23)

–IANS