Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva admitted his side paid the price for conceding too many runs in the first innings, which ultimately cost them a shot at victory in the drawn first Test against Bangladesh at Galle.
Despite both teams finishing the match on level terms, de Silva was candid in his post-match reflections, stressing the importance of making early inroads with the ball on a flat pitch.
“I always talk about the first innings, bat or ball. The game slipped from our grasp with how we bowled in the first innings. It was a flat wicket, but we gave away too many runs,” de Silva said.
Bangladesh took full advantage of the benign surface, racking up 495 in their first innings, with centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto laying the platform. Mushfiqur top-scored with 163, while Shanto became only the second Bangladeshi to score centuries in both innings of a Test, following up his 148 with an unbeaten 125.
“The wicket was flat, Shanto and Mushi batted really well. We got some early breakthroughs but they didn’t let us get into the game,” de Silva conceded.
Sri Lanka responded with 485 in their first innings, narrowly trailing Bangladesh, who then declared at 285 for six in their second dig to set the hosts a target of 296. The chase never truly gathered steam as Sri Lanka ended on 72 for four in 32 overs before stumps were drawn.
While Sri Lanka’s bowlers toiled hard with little reward, de Silva refrained from pointing fingers at his spinners, instead appreciating the art of Test match batting.
“They had their plans. That’s the beauty of Test cricket — the batters absorb pressure and give it back. The bowlers tried their best.”
The match also marked the end of an era for Sri Lankan cricket as Angelo Mathews played his final Test. De Silva paid a heartfelt tribute to the former captain.
“I came into this team under Angelo’s captaincy and now he’s played his last Test under mine. That’s something I will always remember,” he said.
“It’s a sad day for me personally — a legend like Angelo leaving the Test dressing room. But we have to move forward, and I believe we have the backup to fill his place.”
The second and final Test begins on 25 June in Colombo, where both sides will look to take the upper hand in the series. Sri Lanka, in particular, will be eager to tighten up their bowling plans and give their bowlers more support with the bat and in the field.
As de Silva noted, “That’s an area we have to cover for the next match.”