Mathews lauds Tigers for ‘wonderful’ Galle Test
Though the occasion was an emotional one for Mathews, he was particularly impressed by the performance of the Bangladesh side—most notably captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim.
Sri Lankan legend Angelo Mathews received a warm reception from the Bangladesh team during his farewell Test in Galle, which concluded in a draw yesterday. The visitors formed a guard of honour as he walked out to bat in the first innings and later extended their best wishes following the match.
Though the occasion was an emotional one for Mathews, he was particularly impressed by the performance of the Bangladesh side—most notably captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim.
"I must congratulate Bangladesh on a wonderful Test match. Mushi [Mushfiqur] and Shanto batted beautifully," said Mathews during the post-match presentation.
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Shanto struck twin centuries (148 and 125), while Mushfiqur crafted a sublime 163 and followed it up with a quickfire 49 in the second innings—key contributions as Bangladesh opened their new World Test Championship campaign in commanding fashion.
Shanto became the first Bangladesh captain to score centuries in both innings of a Test and was deservedly named Player of the Match for his efforts.
"I wasn't aware of the record, but it feels fantastic to contribute," Shanto said.
Addressing criticism over the timing of Bangladesh's declaration, deemed by some to be overly cautious, Shanto explained: "Yes, but the rain came unexpectedly and we had to adjust the plan. Some things are beyond our control."
Reflecting on the 1–1 series draw against Zimbabwe in April, Shanto added: "We lacked confidence against Zimbabwe, but our preparation for this series was strong and we showed real character in this match."
Playing in just his 13th Test, spinner Nayeem Hasan claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in overseas conditions on Day 4. His senior partner, Taijul Islam, was equally effective—dismissing both Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal with probing deliveries in the second innings.
Shanto lauded his spin duo: "Taijul and Nayeem bowled brilliantly. Nayeem hasn't had many chances previously, but his work ethic is exceptional. Today [Saturday], he demonstrated his quality."
Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva admitted that the momentum shifted following Bangladesh's resistance. "The pitch was flat. Shanto and Mushfiqur batted extremely well. We made early inroads but couldn't capitalise—they didn't allow us back into the game," he said.
The second and final Test is set to begin on Wednesday in Colombo
