The opening Test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is heading towards a likely draw as both teams endured a hard-fought fourth day with limited breakthroughs. Despite promising sessions and individual brilliance, the match remained evenly poised, setting up an intriguing final day at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
The Test resumed with Sri Lanka aiming to take control, but Bangladesh struck early, dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis in quick succession. However, Kamindu Mendis and Milan Rathnayake built a resilient partnership of 79 runs, bringing stability to the innings. Kamindu remained unbeaten on 83 at Lunch, helping Sri Lanka close the gap to just 30 runs. Bangladesh might rue this session as a missed opportunity, especially as the pitch began easing out.
After Lunch, the momentum shifted significantly in Bangladesh’s favour. Nayeem Hasan turned the tide with a beautifully tossed-up delivery to dismiss Kamindu and went on to claim a five-wicket haul. Supported by Hasan Mahmud, Bangladesh bundled out the remaining Sri Lankan batters for just 15 runs, seizing a narrow 10-run lead.
In their second innings, Bangladesh came out with positive intent. Despite the loss of Anamul Haque and Mominul Haque to spin, they built a steady foundation, increasing their lead to 75 by Tea. Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto added a gritty 68-run partnership, blunting the Lankan spin threat. Islam’s composed 76 was the standout before he fell to Rathnayake. Mushfiqur Rahim then joined forces with the skipper to build another solid stand, with both showing patience and poise. The skipper’s half-century capped off Bangladesh’s dominance in the evening session.
By stumps on day four, Bangladesh had extended their lead to 187 runs, losing just one wicket in the final session while adding 112 runs in 35 overs. While the Test is still delicately balanced, the visitors have edged slightly ahead. The early start on the fifth day—set for 4:15 AM GMT with 98 overs scheduled—offers a window of opportunity for Bangladesh. If they accelerate early and set a challenging target, they could press for a win in what has otherwise been a tightly contested Test match.