Chance for Sri Lanka to open their tally in World Test Championship

 Captains Dhananjaya de Silva (Sri Lanka) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (Bangladesh) stand before the Dutch-Bangla Bank trophy which will be awarded to the winner of the two-Test series

• Commence the two-Test series against Bangladesh at Sylhet today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Of the nine nations competing in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle 2023-25, Sri Lanka is the only ones who have yet to put points on the board. They start the two-match Test series against Bangladesh at Sylhet today looking forward to putting that record right over the next five days.

Sri Lanka finds themselves in this awkward position because they lost their first series of the WTC to Pakistan 2-0 at home last July. Since then Sri Lanka has played a one-off Test against Afghanistan (which is not part of the WTC) at home in February and won it rather convincingly by ten wickets.

Sri Lanka Test skipper Dhananjaya de Silva said the conditions at Sylhet look like they will favour fast bowlers and the playing eleven could be the same combination they went with for the last Test against Afghanistan.

“Bangladesh has been playing their white ball games leaving grass on the pitch. I have an idea of what to expect. My preparations for the Tests have gone well,” said De Silva at the pre-match press conference. “The Test squad players who have arrived also have an idea of what conditions to expect. It’s not about the conditions, it’s about the way you play in any condition. There’s nothing special about the way we play. We’ll play like we normally would. The small changes will be to adapt to the conditions. Cricket will be the brand we play. That won’t change. The target will be to win the Test series and we are focused on it.”  

For the last Test against Afghanistan, Sri Lanka went in with three seamers and one specialist spinner in Prabath Jayasuriya. However, from that line up spearhead of the bowling attack Asitha Fernando who bowled so well to take six wickets in the match misses out with an injury, so Sri Lanka will have to choose between Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, and Chamika Gunasekara the other two seamers to support left-armer Vishwa Fernando.

The batting of course will remain untouched with Nishan Madushka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Sadeera Samarawickrama who will also keep wickets.    

Bangladesh already has 12 points to their credit having won one of their two Tests against New Zealand played at this venue in December last year and drawn the series one-all. But Bangladesh’s Sri Lanka-born head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe reckons Sri Lanka will pose a bigger threat than New Zealand with the experience they have on their side.

“Sri Lanka has an experienced batting line-up,” said Hathurusinghe referring to the fact that Angelo Mathews (107 Tests), Dimuth Karunaratne (89), and Dinesh Chandimal (77) have played a total of 273 Test matches, than the entire Bangladesh side - 270.

“They are a formidable side. A couple of the guys may be over 100 Tests, but we are up to the challenge. The mood in our camp is good. We have a lot of new faces, different teams in red and white ball cricket. The new boys are bringing a lot of energy and enthusiasm.”

With the pitch having a tinge of green Hathurusinghe is keen to see their two uncapped fast bowlers who both bowl at 140-plus Nahid Rana and Musfik Hasan on the side.

“Weather will be a factor in this game. Taking all that into consideration and the opposition’s limitations and strengths, this is going to be a bigger challenge than the New Zealand series. We have to play our best game to beat Sri Lanka.”