After the run-fest in the drawn first Test, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will fight it out for the series glory when they meet in the second and final Test in Pallekele, starting Thursday. (More Cricket News)
Bangladesh, batting first, declared after piling up 541/7 with skipper Mominul Haque (163) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (127) hitting centuries even as Tamim Iqbal missed out a deserving ton. But the opener, who scored 90 off 101, set the tone for the match.
Vishwa Fernando took four wickets in a valiant spell of pace bowling on a placid track.
Then came the turn of Sri Lankan batsmen. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne led with a double ton, 244 off 437 balls. He got support from Lahiru Thirimanne (58) and Dhananjaya de Silva (166) as the hosts responded in kind, declaring their innings on 648/8.
Taskin Ahmed and Taijul Islam took three and two wickets as Bangladesh bowlers too toiled hard even as bad weather and bad light forced early stumps on couple fo days.
Bangladesh then comfortably batted out the final day with Iqbal making merry (hitting 74 off 98) as the two teams settled for a draw.
The second match will most likely follow the same script.
Head-to-head: This will be their 22nd meeting. Sri Lanka lead the head-to-head record 16-1, with four matches in draws. Bangladesh's lone win came in 2017 when they tamed the Lions in Colombo (P Sara Oval) by four wickets. In that match, Iqbal won the man of the match.
Match and telecast details:
Match: Second Test cricket match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Days: April 29 (Thursday) to May 3 (Monday), 2021.
Time: 10:00 AM IST
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka
TV Channels: Sony Sports Network
Live Streaming: SonyLiv
Likely XIs:
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Suranga Lakmal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Vishwa Fernando, Lakshan Sandakan.
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Ebadat Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Hossain.
Playing XIs in the first Test:
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara.
Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain.
Squads:
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Dasun Shanaka, Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Vishwa Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Roshen Silva, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilshan Madushanka, Praveen Jayawickrama, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando.
Bangladesh: Mominul Haque, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Saif Hassan, Shadman Islam, Tamim Iqbal, Yasir Ali, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed, Mukidul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Shohidul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan, Shuvagata Hom, Liton Das, Mohammad Mithun, Nurul Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim.
