Niroshan Dickwella and Dinesh Chandimal stabilized Sri Lankas innings following four wickets from Taijul Islam. The biggest stand of the Sri Lanka innings came between Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal for the fifth wicket. Sri Lanka had scored 397 runs in their first innings, and then Angelo Mathews was dismissed after scoring 199 runs.
Mathews, who scored 199 runs in the first innings, was dismissed in the second innings, without opening his account. Angelo Mathews made a 92-run partnership with Kusal Mendis for the third wicket, having lost both the opening batsmen in the first session. Taijul Islams bowled Kusal Mendis for 48, then removed Angelo Mathews for a duck, caught and bowled.
Angelo Mathews scored 199 runs, providing a foundation to Sri Lankam innings, while Nayeem Hasan claimed 6-105 for Bangladesh. For Sri Lanka, the veteran Angelo Mathews played an excellent innings and single-handedly took his teams first innings total to reasonable heights.
While a victory does not seem much, when it is taken into the context of the fact that Bangladesh has been playing Test cricket for just over ten years, this represents a step up. Bangladesh will have been a little disappointed that they were unable to push on to a victory, but that was hardly out of any desire to try — particularly on a pretty soft pitch.
When Dickwella and Chandimal arrived at the crease, Sri Lanka were in trouble, but they shook off the spinners, then had things going their way after tea. In fact, bowling performances overall were certainly positive takings from Dickwella and Chandimal, while Nayeem Hasan also picked up 6 wickets in the first innings. Amongst Bangladeshs bowlers, spinner Nayeem Hasan returned with two wickets, with Taijul Islam and Shakib Al Hasan taking one wicket apiece.