Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal said they never underestimate Bangladesh and believes the second and final Test match between the two teams will produce a result because of the lively nature of the wicket.
“Bangladesh are a really good team, especially on their home soil. They have performed well here. We never underestimate them, they are playing really good cricket. We have more experienced players in our Test side compared to ODI side. It is still challenging to us but we have some game plans according to the conditions and their players. We need to execute that well,” said Chandimal during the pre-match press conference Wednesday at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
The Lankan skipper believes the tri-nation ODI series’ pitches were bad. Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by 79 runs in the final of the tri-series also featuring Zimbabwe.
Following the tri- series, Sri Lanka played the first Test against the Tigers in Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Cricket Stadium last week. The tourist also termed the pitch “not good enough for Test cricket” after the Test ended in a draw.
Later, the ZACCS pitch was rated “below average” by ICC Elite Panel match referee David Boon. As such, the wicket in the port city has received one demerit point in accordance with the ICC pitch and outfield monitoring process.
“We saw in the tri-series that they were really bad pitches. It was good for the spinners but not for the batters. It is a challenge to the batters. It looks like a dry surface. Spinners will come into play in this game. I don’t see that much of a difference in the wicket. It looks similar,” said Chandimal.
Chandimal admitted that getting Chandika Hathurusingha in their rank will give them some advantage with regards to the condition and pitch as the latter is the former head coach of Bangladesh and spent almost four years with the Tigers.
“Hathurusingha has a good idea, especially of the players and conditions here. It is really helpful to us to get the real advice from him. We are looking forward to get his knowledge,” he said.
Bangladesh had won the second Test against Sri Lanka at P Sara Oval Stadium in March last year. Now the Lankans have the chance to win against the Tigers and win the series in their own backyard. But Chandimal said they just want to play competitive cricket.
“We don’t want to get revenge from any team. We need to play competitive cricket, which is our main goal. When you play good cricket, result will come in your way,” Chandimal explained.
Overview
Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur
2nd Test
Thursday 8 February, 09:30 local time; 03:30 GMT
After a run-fest in Chittagong, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka head to Mirpur for a series-decider. The opening Test match saw 1,533 runs scored, only 24 out of the possible 40 wickets taken and five centuries and six half-centuries scored, as the batsmen from both sides made hay while the sun shone.
The stalemate, for which the Chittagong pitch received a rating of “below average” from the match referee, means it is all to play for in the final match of the two-Test series. Despite Sri Lanka being three places higher in the MRF ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings, the pitch meant there was nothing between the two sides in Chittagong.
The nature of the first Test means there are plenty of batsmen on both sides feeling in good touch. Bangladesh’s Mominul Haque made scores of 176 and 105, while Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis (196), Dhananjaya de Silva (173) and Roshen Silva (109) all also made centuries. In fact, it would be easier to mention batsmen who did not make runs.
Bangladesh have shuffled their pack, leaving out Sunzamul Islam and Rubel Hossain and calling up batsman Sabbir Rahman. Sri Lanka are still without the injured Angelo Mathews, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Key players
Mominul Haque (Bangladesh): The 26-year-old piled on 281 runs in Chittagong, but it wasn’t just the number of runs he scored, but the way he scored them and their context which mattered. Mominul went from four Test centuries to six in the space of two innings, becoming the first Bangladesh player to pass three figures in the same Test match. His 180-run partnership with Liton Das showed a glimpse of the future for the Tigers. If Mominul can perform again in Mirpur he will go a long way to confirming his potential.
Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka): It is difficult to overstate how important the diminutive left-arm spinner is to Sri Lanka. Herath sits 13th on the all-time Test wicket-takers list with 411 scalps and is eighth in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings. The 39-year-old has been a picture of consistency throughout his career. It was no surprise that it was he who finished the first Test with the most wickets. In subcontinent conditions Herath is a match-winner, as his nine 10-wicket hauls and 33 five-wicket hauls in Tests indicate. He could be Sri Lanka’s biggest weapon in Mirpur.
Conditions
Bangladesh will take confidence from that fact that they won their last two Test matches at Mirpur – against England and Australia. However, Sri Lanka have played two Tests at the stadium and won both, with their most recent – a 248-run victory in January 2014 – seeing them rack up the ground’s highest Test total of 730/6d.
Having received plenty of criticism for the Chittagong pitch, Bangladesh will surely look to prepare a better surface in Mirpur. Rain won’t be a problem, with warm weather and clouds forecast for the duration of the match.
Squads
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Dilruwan Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal (c), Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wkt), Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Gamage, Lakshan Sandakan, Kusal Mendis, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya, Lahiru Kumara, Danushka Gunathilaka.
Bangladesh: Liton Das (wkt), Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah (c), Mehidy Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Mosaddek Hossain, Naeem Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Tanbir Hayder.
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