Sri Lanka salvage draw in Mathews' farewell Test
It was a case of what might have been for Bangladesh who declared with 37 overs left
It was a case of what might have been for Bangladesh who declared with 37 overs left
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ran each other neck and neck all day, with Bangladesh now 187 runs ahead
Mathews fell for 39 in his farewell Test, even as Chandimal's fifty helped SL reduce deficit to 127
Rain and a late collapse saw the hosts work their way back into the contest
It didn't start off that way, with Bangladesh reduced to 45 for 3 but there was little joy for Sri Lanka thereafter
And does Angelo Mathews hold the record for the most Tests played at a single venue?
Their efforts helped Bangladesh jump past hurdles that have hurt them in the past
Nayeem, Kamindu can see paths to victory for their respective teams in Galle
They used to rule Galle Tests. This one, against Bangladesh, is going against them
However you want to slice it, he is a three-format monster and Sri Lanka's first serious entry into the space-age batting genre
Bangladesh's fast-bowling coach also backed "young superstar" Nahid Rana to come good despite having an off day
Angelo Mathews has never been the kind who seeks out drama, but it seemed to follow him around at many points in his career
He's 38 and was coming into this series without a fifty in his 13 previous Test innings, but he's roared back with a 163 against one of his favourite oppositions
Despite the late collapse, Bangladesh find themselves well placed at the end of day two with Mushfiqur, Litton and Shanto scoring runs
He could have taken being sacked as ODI captain poorly but didn't, and went on to make major contributions in Galle
Bangladesh have nearly 500 on the board, but they lost a little ground when they lost five wickets for 26 runs
"When I started first-class cricket, I bowled a lot with my left arm. But later, it became about 60% right arm, and 40% left arm."
His first Test century in 14 innings helped the visitors recover from 45 for 3 on the first day in Galle
"The wicket on day five wasn't as we expected," Shanto said with Mathews adding that "it was a tough wicket for the bowlers"
Bowlers like Tharindu could redefine their craft, while batters like Shanto could carve new Test legacies. But how many opportunities will they get?
Sri Lanka are set to play just four Tests in 2025
In the last five years, batting averages there have diminished as the game has progressed, with spinners having taken more than 100 wickets each on days three and four
Sri Lanka's captain reminded team-mates of what could've been ahead of first Test against Bangladesh
It was a year in which Sri Lanka carved a glorious arc through world cricket, and at the heart of it was a man who did everything, everywhere, all at once
He will finish as Sri Lanka's third-highest run-getter, and their fourth-most capped player in Tests
Reliving five of the Sri Lanka allrounder's best performances in Test cricket in the lead-up to his final match
Ahead of his final Test, Angelo Mathews looks back at a long, eventful career
Both teams are looking to shake off a lean run in red-ball cricket as the 2025-27 cycle of the World Test Championship gets underway