Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first against Pakistan in the second match of a two-match Test series at Galle International Stadium on Sunday, with the visitors leading the series 1-0.
Sri Lanka dominated Pakistan on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test, thanks to Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella. At stumps, Sri Lanka had a score of 315/6, with Chandimal scoring 80 and Dickwella unbeaten on 42. Earlier, Chandimal and Angelo Mathews helped Sri Lanka recover after the hosts took three quick wickets in the first session.
Before Mohammad Nawaz dismissed Oshada Fernando on 50, he and Dimuth Karunaratne had added 92 runs for the first wicket. Kusal Mendis failed to make an impression after being run out due to a mix-up. Yasir Shah was the next to leave, having gotten the better of him. Earlier, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat in the second Test against Pakistan at the Galle International Stadium.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam confirmed Fawad Alam and Nauman Ali would replace Azhar Ali and the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi in the playing XI during the toss. Asitha Fernando and Dunith Wellalage replace Kasun Rajitha and Maheesh Theekshana for Sri Lanka. Pakistan won the first Test by four wickets thanks to a century from Babar in the first innings and an unbeaten 160 from Abdullah Shafique in the chase.
The team led by Babar Azam is very confident going into this game because they set the record for the most successful run chase at Galle earlier in the week when they chased down 342 runs.
“The morale is quite high in the camp because a good win gives you a lot of confidence,” Babar said on the eve of the second test to PCB Digital.
Pakistan’s best fast bowler, Shaheen Afridi, will miss the second Test due to a knee injury sustained on the fourth day of the first Test. As a result, Pakistan will have to play without him.
Because the surface at Galle aids spin bowlers, Pakistan named Nauman Ali to their XI and went with two fast bowlers.
Babar confirmed the pairing, saying, “We will definitely miss Shaheen because of the way he bowls.” He bowls aggressively and gets us wickets early on, which benefits the team. “It is unfortunate that he is not in the squad, but given the circumstances, we have included a spinner, Nauman Ali.”
Asitha Fernando and Dunith Wellalage, both new to the team, have taken the place of Kasun Rajitha and Maheesh Theekshana.
Wellalage, 19, makes his Test debut, while Angelo Mathews makes his 100th Test appearance for Sri Lanka.
Angelo Mathews becomes the sixth Sri Lankan cricketer to play 100 Tests.
(curtesy ESPN)