Rain had the final say as Bangladesh settled for a draw in the first Test against Sir Lanka in Kandy, with opener Tamim Iqbal hitting an unbeaten 74 runs in the second innings on Sunday.
Tamim batted fluently to score his second fifty of the game as the Tigers reached 100-2 in 33 overs in the second innings before rain stopped the play on the fifth and final day.
Tamim, who struck 90 in the first innings, smashed 10 fours and three sixes while skipper Mominul Haque accompanied him with 23 runs at the close.
“It was a very good batting wicket where the bowlers had very little help. So, I think it is best to accept a draw. Our bowlers tried really hard,” said Bangladesh captain Mominul.
Sri Lanka earlier declared their first innings with 648-8, with a lead of 107 against Bangladesh, who made 541-7 declared.
Resuming on 512-3, the hosts added 136 runs in 30 overs at the expense of five wickets.
Taskin Ahmed bowled Dhananjaya de Silva for 166 runs in the fifth over of the morning after the all-rounder resumed his innings on 154.
Fellow overnight batsman Dimuth Karunaratne followed him two overs later adding 10 runs to his overnight 234 as Najmul Hossain took the catch off Taskin.
Ebadot Hossain dismissed Pathum Nissanka for 12 while Niroshan Dickwella was run out for 31.
Sri Lanka declared the innings after Taijul Islam bowled Hasaranga de Silva for 43 off 55 balls.
“On this pitch a fifty wasn’t enough for me,” he said. “I saw that almost everyone in the Bangladesh team got a fifty. I’m not the kind of player who’s satisfied with just getting a fifty on this kind of pitch. I wanted to turn my 50 into a hundred and my hundred into a one-fifty,” Karunaratne after the match.
“And you very rarely get pitches like this in Sri Lanka - you generally get tracks that turn a lot. And when you go overseas, you get a lot of seaming conditions. I wanted to get the maximum out of this pitch.”
Taskin finished with 3-112 as the most successful Bangladeshi bowler while Taijul claimed 2-163.
Mominul showered Taskin with praise.
“I really enjoyed Taskin’s bowling. It didn’t seem like he was playing his sixth Test. He has been working very hard for the last year and a half, so I think he is getting his rewards,” said Mominul.
“He gives a lot of effort, and responded every time he was asked to bowl. These were difficult conditions but he tried to contribute to the team.”
Bangladesh had to be cautious in the second innings but Tamim chose not to get bogged down despite the early dismissal of Saif Hassan (one) and Najmul (0).
The second Test will be held at the same venue on April 29.
