Sri Lanka aim to continue unbeaten run in Bangladesh

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Sri Lanka

After a run fest that yielded 1533 runs for 24 wickets in the 1st Test, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will lock horns in the Test series decider on the 8th of February 2018 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.

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The pitch in Chittagong did not allow a result but both teams will be disappointed with their performances on the field, with wayward bowling and some average fielding there to be seen by both sides.

Sri Lanka were in with a sniff having reduced the hosts to 81/3 at the end of the 4th day but Mominul Haque, who became the 1st Bangladeshi batsman to register twin tons in a Test, led the hosts to safety as they lost just 2 wickets on day 5.

The pitch that showed little deterioration over the 5 days was later rated as ‘below average’ by the ICC.

The equation for the two teams now is simple, whoever wins the 2nd Test in Dhaka will take the series; Bangladesh, who have beaten Sri Lanka just once in 19 attempts, will be eyeing a maiden series win over the Lions.

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Sri Lanka

Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the tour with hamstring tightness but Sri Lanka showed little signs of missing the veteran with Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva and Roshen Silva taking the fore with the bat. The trio, who 3 Tests ago were now even in the Sri Lankan XI, made centuries to guide Sri Lanka to their 6th highest score in Tests.

With only 6 batsmen in the lineup, Mendis was slotted in alongside Dimuth Karunaratne and the move paid off as the stylish right-hander, who was left out of the squad that toured India late last year, made a brilliant 196, his highest in Tests.

Of the batsmen, opener Karunatne was the only man to miss out on a flat track, falling for a duck and he will be looking to make an amends in this Test, having been one of Sri Lanka’s most successful batsmen in the recent past. With the success of the batting line-up in the 1st Test, Sri Lanka will look to go in with the same line-up in Dhaka.

There is no doubt that there was little to nothing on offer for the bowlers in Chittagong, however, Sri Lanka will be disappointed with the lack of discipline in the field, particularly on the 1st day of the Test, where Bangladesh managed to score at over 4 runs an over throughout. Suranga Lakmal was perhaps the only bowler who was able to put the hosts under pressure for a prolonged period with all the other frontline bowlers going at over 4 an over.

Lahiru Kumara was given the nod ahead Lahiru Gamage and Dushmantha Chameera in the 1st Test but his performance is likely to see him dropped. Chameera has been ruled out of the Test with an injury and with the only other option being uncapped Shehan Madushanka, Gamage is likely to get the nod.

Probable XI

Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Roshen Silva, Dinesh Chandimal ©, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Gamage

Bangladesh

Bangladesh will be without talismanic all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan once again which means that Mahmudullah Riyad will be handed the captaincy reins once again.

After posting 500+ runs in the 1st innings in Chittagong, the hosts would most definitely have been confident of coming out on top but a stellar performance by Sri Lanka’s batsmen forced the Bangladeshis to push for a draw on day 5.

The batsmen were impressive however, with Mominul Haque the standout performer for the Tigers. Like Sri Lanka, the hosts too suffered in the bowling department, with only Mehidy Hasan looking like he could pick up a few wickets.

With how the game went last week, the hosts are unlikely to make any changes to their playing XI.

Probable XI

Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (wk), Mahmudullah Riyad ©, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hassan, Sunzamul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Final say

Sri Lanka will fancy their chances of continuing their unbeaten streak in Bangladesh, particularly with the batsmen showing some form. However, the bowlers, particularly the spinners will have to step it up of the visitors are to trouble the hosts’ batsmen.

The pitch is expected to be another dustbowl but don’t be surprised if the surface inDhaka offers more help to the spinner as the game progresses.