Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis locked in as Sri Lanka held out for a draw in their opening Test against Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka Vs Bangladesh, 1st Test: SL See Out Final Session To Claim Draw Against BAN
There had not been a draw in a Test match in Galle since 2013, and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka faced off on that occasion, too. This result ended a run of 12 years, and 26 matches without a draw at the venue
Sri Lanka batted out 32 overs in the final session before both teams shook hands on a draw.
Bangladesh did take four wickets on Saturday, dismissing Pathum Nissanka (24), Lahiru Udara (nine), Dinesh Chandimal (six) and Angelo Mathews (eight), with Taijul Islam taking 3-23.
However, Mendis and captain De Silva both ticked their way gradually to 12 not out to guide Sri Lanka to 72-4.
Bangladesh, though, may well lament a late declaration.
They gave themselves just 37 overs to attempt to try and bowl Bangladesh out, with Najmul Hossain Shanto having plundered an unbeaten 125 en route to propelling his team to 285-6 declared. Mushfiqur Rahim also chipped in with 49, but in hindsight, the tourists may wish they had given themselves more time in Galle.
Data Debrief: A rare Galle draw
There had not been a draw in a Test match in Galle since 2013, and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka faced off on that occasion, too. This result ended a run of 12 years, and 26 matches without a draw at the venue.
Shanto, meanwhile, recorded two centuries in this match, after scoring 145 in the first innings.
He has now scored 505 runs in 13 innings against Sri Lanka. Of the teams he has featured in more than two innings against, his average against Sri Lanka (42.08) is the second-highest, after Zimbabwe (47.28 from eight innings).
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