First Test ends in draw following rain

The first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Kandy ended in a draw as the third and final session of the fifth day was wiped out by rain.

Opener Tamim Iqbal, raced to 74 as Bangladesh reached 100 for two in 33 overs at Tea on the fifth day of the Pallekele Test on Sunday after Sri Lanka declared their first innings on 648 for eight. However no play was possible after tea as showers capsized proceedings in Kandy, leading to Tamim missing an opportunity to complete what could have been an wonderful ton. 

Tamim was not out on 74 off 98 balls while skipper Mominul Haque was batting on 23 off 86 deliveries. 

Earlier, Saif Hassan, who went for a duck in the first innings, was dismissed by Suranga Lakmal for 1 while Najmul Hossain Shanto, who scored his first Test century in the first innings, fell to the same bowler for a duck as Bangladesh lost two early wickets. 

Sri Lanka had taken a first innings lead of 107 runs at Lunch. The visitors reached 648 for eight in reply to Bangladesh's first-innings score of 541 for seven (declared), with only two sessions remaining. Suranga Lakmal was batting on 23 with Vishwa Fernando on naught.

Bangladesh, who went wicketless on the third day of the Test, took five wickets in the morning session as the hosts looked for some quick runs. Taskin Ahmed took the first two wickets, the two big ones in Dimuth Karunaratne (244) and Dhananjaya de Silva (166). 

Ebadot Hossain and Taijul Islam dismissed two other batsmen while another one was run-out.