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Welcome to the live coverage of the fifth and final day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
BAN 192/3 (62) lead by 202 runs
Bangladesh’s lead has now crossed 200. They will need to be aggressive to set a good target for Sri Lanka. Let us see how they will go on from here. Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto on the crease currently.
BAN 228/3 (72) lead by 238 runs
Can we now assume Bangladesh have pushed Sri Lanka out of the game? The lead has soared to 238 runs and both Rahim and Shanto are looking quite good. They have not quite gone for their attacking shots. So perhaps it will be a draw.
BAN 237/4 (76) lead by 247 runs
Rain stops play right after Mushfiqur Rahim is dismissed. Rahim wanted a quick single to get to his fifty but he walks back dismissed for 49. Tharindu Ratnayake with a brilliant direct hit.
Players head back to the dressing room. That surely ends hopes of any result that the two sides might have had in their minds.
Rain went and is now back again. That means we are not restarting any time soon.
We should have restarted by now but the rain refuses to relent. Two session left in the final day and we look set to get a draw.
Finally we have some play. Bangladesh continue from where they left. At maximum, we can get 50 overs of play today. In all certainty, the first Test of this new World Test Championship cycle is going to end in a draw.
Sri Lanka have taken the wickets of Litton Das and Jaker Ali right after the game resumed. That means that within three overs, Sri Lanka got three wickets. But even that will not be enough to get a result out of this game. Bangladesh too are not that much interested in a result. Najmul Hossain Shanto is nearing his hundred and after that we might see a declaration.
Najmul Hossain Shanto capped off a remarkable performance by declaring Bangladesh’s innings at 285/6, remaining unbeaten on a commanding 125 off 199 balls. With that, Bangladesh set Sri Lanka a daunting target of 296 to win, requiring them to score at nearly 8 runs per over. Despite an early wobble with the cheap dismissals of Anamul Haque Bijoy and Mominul Haque, Shadman Islam and Shanto rebuilt with a solid partnership, the former falling for a well-made 76 to Milan Rathnayake. Shanto, who had already scored a century in the first innings, continued his brilliant form, forging a 109-run stand with Mushfiqur Rahim, who was tragically run out on 49. Even after the quick exits of Litton Das and Jaker Ali, Shanto kept the momentum going, reaching his second century of the match and becoming the first Bangladesh captain to score twin tons in a Test. His late blitz, including three sixes, lifted Bangladesh to a formidable position. For Sri Lanka, Tharindu Rathnayake was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Jayasuriya and Milan chipped in with one each.
Bangladesh remain in control heading into the final session, with Sri Lanka at 34 for 2 in pursuit of a daunting 296-run target. With just 29 overs left in the day and 262 still required, a draw now seems the likeliest outcome unless Bangladesh can trigger a collapse.
Najmul Hossain Shanto continued his dream Test match with a commanding, unbeaten 125 off 199 balls before declaring the innings at 285/6. Resuming on 237/4, Bangladesh lost Litton Das and Jaker Ali quickly, but Shanto, alongside Nayeem Hasan, shifted gears. The skipper reached his century — his second of the match — and then attacked, hitting three sixes in a late flourish that gave Bangladesh ample time to bowl at the hosts.
Sri Lanka’s chase started promisingly, with Lahiru Udara and Pathum Nissanka scoring a few early boundaries. But the double blow from Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan tilted the momentum. Udara was stumped after dancing down the track, and Nissanka followed soon after, chipping one to short midwicket. At tea, seasoned duo Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal are at the crease, yet to open their accounts, and will face the final 29 overs of the match under immense pressure.
We’re back for the final session of this gripping Test match with all results still possible. Sri Lanka need 262 runs in 29 overs to pull off a remarkable chase, while Bangladesh require 8 wickets to seal a famous win. Experienced campaigners Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal are at the crease, and it’s Mathews who takes strike. Nayeem Hasan, who already has a wicket to his name, will start proceedings for Bangladesh. The tension is palpable, the fielders are buzzing, and with the sun dipping low, every ball could tilt the balance.
With just 15 overs left on the final day, a draw looms large—unless Bangladesh conjure something extraordinary. The spinners are operating in tandem, probing for breakthroughs, and one of them has just delivered a moment for the ages.
Angelo Mathews, in his final Test innings, has departed to a standing ovation. Taijul Islam, switching to round the wicket, drew an inside edge onto the pad, which ballooned to Mominul Haque at silly point. The Bangladeshi players lined up to applaud the Sri Lankan great as he walked off for the last time in Test whites.
WICKET! Bangladesh are roaring back into the contest and they now have a real shot at pulling off something special! Taijul Islam, operating with precision and patience, delivers a length ball from around the wicket that angles in at off stump. Dinesh Chandimal, expecting it to turn away, offers a tentative forward prod, only to be completely undone as the ball holds its line and crashes into the off stump. It’s a massive moment — a seasoned campaigner dismissed in a high-pressure situation — and with Sri Lanka slipping further, Bangladesh’s belief is growing by the minute. This Test is well and truly alive!
The opening Test of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle concluded in a draw, as persistent rain and resolute Sri Lankan batting on the final day denied Bangladesh what looked like a well-earned victory in a hard-fought contest.
After opting to bat first, Bangladesh overcame an early setback with a stunning 247-run partnership between captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (148) and veteran Mushfiqur Rahim (163). The pair laid a rock-solid foundation, and Litton Das contributed with a composed 90 before falling agonizingly short of a century.
Bangladesh posted a commanding 485 in their first innings, with Asitha Fernando (4/86) emerging as Sri Lanka’s best bowler.
Sri Lanka responded in kind, led by a career-best 187 from opener Pathum Nissanka. With handy contributions from Dinesh Chandimal (54) and Kamindu Mendis (87), the hosts managed to equal Bangladesh’s total, finishing at 485.
Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan impressed with a five-wicket haul (5/121), keeping Bangladesh marginally ahead with a slender 10-run lead.
In their second innings, Bangladesh were jolted early again but rebounded with a resilient partnership between Shadman Islam and Shanto. Shadman compiled a well-made 76 while Shanto continued his purple patch, eventually finishing unbeaten on 125.
Despite losing quick wickets after the rain delay, Bangladesh declared at 285/6, setting Sri Lanka a target of 296 in roughly 35 overs.
Sri Lanka began their chase aggressively but soon lost momentum as Bangladesh’s spinners tightened the screws. Taijul Islam was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 for 23, including the key scalps of Lahiru Udara, Chandimal, and the retiring Angelo Mathews, who walked off to a standing ovation in his final Test innings.
Nayeem Hasan chipped in with the dismissal of Nissanka, but a stubborn stand between Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva saw off the final 53 deliveries, securing a draw.
Although rain robbed Bangladesh of crucial time, their dominant all-round performance — highlighted by Najmul Hossain Shanto’s twin centuries — sets an encouraging tone for their WTC campaign.
This Test marked the end of an era for Sri Lankan cricket, as Angelo Mathews bid farewell to the longest format after a distinguished career spanning over 15 years. A former captain and one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable middle-order batters, Mathews was not only a steady presence with the bat but also chipped in with crucial overs whenever the team needed him.
His calm demeanor, grit under pressure, and commitment to the team made him a respected figure in the dressing room and among fans worldwide.
Angelo Mathews: “Obviously. Since I announced my retirement, I got immense love. Overall I am very happy to get the love I received. This was not an easy journey. I am retiring from the best format and the format I loved. A good thing is that we have the talent to take over the place. Firstly, I want to congratulate Bangladesh. Mushi and Shanto batted brilliantly.
The best memories of my career will be to win that Headingly Test in England, series win against Australia. I am thankful to everyone with whom I have played and the coaches also. Sorry for not naming anybody.”
Dhananjaya de Silva (Sri Lanka Captain): “Well I always talk about first innings. It went out of our hands in both batting and bowling. Yes it was flat but we could’ve bowled well. The wicket was flat and Mushfiqur and Shanto batted very well and didn’t give us any chance. Our spinners tried their best. Not at all worried regarding their performance.
When I came to the scene, it was under Angelo’s captaincy. When he is leaving the Test, it is under my captaincy. This is a thing to remember for me! Angelo is leaving the format and we all have to move forward. We have the back-up for Angelo.”
Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh Captain and Player of the Match): “I didn’t know that I was the first captain to score two hundreds for Bangladesh in a Test match but it feels happy.
After we lost the first 3 wickets on the first day, Mushi bhai batted very well with me. The Zimbabwe Test series helped us a lot. We came back well in the second match in that series. Happy with the team’s performance.
The plan was to declare before but the rain appeared. You can’t control this thing. Nayeem and Taijul bowled brilliantly. Nayeem deserves a special mention. He doesn’t get a lot of Test matches because of the team combination but his work ethic is brilliant.”
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