Sri Lanka will take on Pakistan in the first Test of a two-match series at the Galle International Stadium from Sunday, July 16. The five-day contest will mark the beginning of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for both teams.
Pakistan hold a head-to-head advantage of 21-17 over Sri Lanka in the format. Even when playing on Sri Lankan soil, Pakistan continues to hold a slight edge with a 9-8 record. This time around too, the Dimuth Karunaratne-led Sri Lankan side is likely to have an uphill battle against Babar Azam’s men.
Pitch Report
The venue has witnessed four instances where teams scored over 600 runs, with one even crossing the 700-run mark. The average first-innings score at this ground stands at 366. Similar conditions are expected in the upcoming match, with spinners likely to play a significant role as the game progresses.
Probable XI
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Nishan Madhushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando
Dream11 Prediction
Wicketkeeper: Kusal Mendis, Sarfaraz Ahmed
Batters: Dimuth Karunaratne, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam
All-rounders: Dhananjaya de Silva, Mohammad Nawaz, Ramesh Mendis
Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Prabath Jayasuriya, Naseem Shah
Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Huraira, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Aamer Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Imam-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk)
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando, Lakshitha Manasinghe.
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from July 16, 2023 at 07:49AM Anirudh Singh