India-Bangladesh rain-marred Test ends in tame draw

Fatullah (Bangladesh), June 14
The frustrating, rain-marred one-off cricket Test between India and Bangladesh ended in a tame draw as the hosts finished at 23 for no loss in their second innings after being forced to follow-on on Day 5 at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium here on Sunday.

After showers washed out the morning session, Bangladesh were first bowled out for 256 while chasing India's first innings total of 462/6. The hosts were then forced to follow-on being 206 runs in arrears. Both sides agreed to call it a draw after Bangladesh played just 15 overs in their second innings.

The rain Gods allowed two full sessions post-lunch. Resuming the day at 111/3, Bangladesh were reduced to 219/7 by India at tea before bowling then out. Bangladesh added 145 more runs to their overnight score before being bowled out.

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (9) did not last too long at the crease after the start of the afternoon session as he walked back to the pavilion after just 2.3 overs of play as ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (5/87) had him stumped.

Overnight batsman Imrul Kayes and Soumya Sarkar (37) then struck a 51-run fifth-wicket partnership before other offie, the veteran Harbhajan Singh (3/64) clinched his second wicket when Kayes was stumped. Kayes top-scored with 72, hitting 12 boundaries.

Sarkar lasted just five balls more before being bowled by Varun Aaron (1/27), who became the first non-spinner to claim a wicket in the rain-curtailed Test.

Thereon debutant Litton Das (44) and Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury (9) struck a 43-run stand for the seventh-wicket before Ashwin claimed his fourth scalp when Chowdhury was caught by Rohit Sharma, leading the umpires to call tea.

India took only eight more overs to wind up the Bangladeshi tail before captain Virat Kohli enforced the follow-on with a lead of 206 runs.

Ashwin was the star bowler as he picked up his 10th five-wicket haul of his 25 match-old Test career. Tweaker Harbhajan, making a comeback to the international scene after more than two years, also snared three wickets.

Openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes were batting on 16 not out and 7 not out respectively when both teams decided to call it a day.

Both teams shared the trophy as Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan was awarded man-of-the-match for his first innings knock of 173.

The two teams will play a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series, beginning June 18.