Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and decided to bat in the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Tuesday, which was the last game for Sri Lanka veteran Angelo Mathews.
Mathews, who played his first game in 2009 on the legendary strip that sits under the Galle fortress, is retiring after 118 Tests.
Sri Lanka Cricket had a presentation for Mathews prior to the commencement.
I am very happy to have a great ride, grateful for whoever was involved,” Mathews, accompanied by his family on the sidelines for the ceremony, said.
“Feeling pretty special. Realizing that I’ve played more than 100 Tests. Playing for the country was a dream, it has happened.”
Sri Lanka gave debut Test caps to top-order batsman Lahiru Udara and left-handed, right-arm bowler Tharindu Ratnayake.
Additionally, Udara has been one of the leading run scorers in domestic cricket whereas Ratnayake is able to bowl both right- and left-arm orthodox spin.
Bangladesh lost a blow before the game when all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz was out due to fever.
He was brilliant in Bangladesh’s win against Zimbabwe in their previous Test, picking up five wickets and a hundred score.
The match is the first one in the new two-year World Test Championship cycle.
Furthermore, second Test resumes in Colombo on June 25.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Shadman Islam, Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Jaker Ali, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), Kusal Mendis, Milan Rathnayake, Tharindu Ratnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando
Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Allahuddien Paleker (RSA)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
