After a soothing run-fest that saw over 1100 runs being scored from just three innings, Bangladesh will square off against Sri Lanka at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka with both sides eyeing a victory this time.
Bangladesh will take the field without the services of bowlers Nayeem Hasan and Shoriful Islam. The former had a contusion on his right hand while batting and an X-ray scan confirmed that he endured an oblique fracture on the tip of his middle finger. Nayeem returned with career-best figures of 6-for-105 in the Chattogram Test but will have to watch the match from the pavilion.
Earlier in the first Test match, Shoriful injured himself while bowling to Sri Lanka’s Kasun Rajitha and didn’t take any further part. His recovery, too, remains highly doubtful. Rajitha came on as a concussion substitute for Vishwa Fernando and could take his position in the starting line-up for the visitors.
What have they done so far?
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a decent total of 397 in the first Test match as veteran Angelo Mathews missed his double century by just a solitary run. Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Mendis scored half-centuries for the Lankan Lions as the other batters failed to make the most of the batting-friendly track in Chattogram.
Bangladesh replied with an emphatic score of 465 in the second innings that saw opener Tamim Iqbal and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim notch centuries for the hosts. The latter became the first Bangladeshi batter to reach the 5000-run milestone in Test cricket as he etched his name in the history books.
Bangladesh’s batting coach Jamie Siddons was impressed by his side’s patient knock as they were guilty of not displaying the same against South Africa in the Test series. Niroshan Dickwella and Dimuth Karunaratne held on to their forte as Sri Lanka ended Day 5 on a score of 260/6 after 90.1 overs as the first Test ended in a draw.
Head to Head record
There have been 23 official Test matches played between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and the latter have emerged victorious 17 times. Bangladesh has won only one Test match against Sri Lanka while the remaining five games ended with both sides sharing the spoils.
Key Players
Angelo Mathews: In an innings that saw neither of the Sri Lankan batters able to take charge, Angelo Mathews made the most of his experience to smash home 199 runs from 397 deliveries. A change in field tricked him as he looped the ball straight to the hands of the square leg fielder while being caught and bowled by Taijul Islam in his second innings after fifteen dot balls.
Mathews went down the track to take the spinners by the throat and is expected to do the same in the second Test. The absence of Nayeem will aid him further as he was one of his six scalps in the first innings.
Mushfiqur Rahim in action in the first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
Mushfiqur Rahim: Rahim will be bolstered by his eighth international Test century and is likely to take his form going forward. Sri Lanka doesn’t have a strong bowling unit at their disposal and that makes Rahim’s case to bag another ton only stronger.
Predicted Playing XI
Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Tamim Iqbal, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Yasir Ali, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed
Sri Lanka: Oshada Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne, Lasith Embuldeniya, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjay de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Kasun Rajitha
Prediction
Nayeem’s injury will hurt Bangladesh’s chances massively but, Shakib is expected to make up for it in the bowling department. Sri Lanka’s chances don’t look any bright either as their batters struggled to make runs on a batting-friendly pitch in Chattogram. Considering that neither side has form or their best eleven XI available, we predict another draw.