Sri Lanka to target Tamim in second Test

Rex Clementine at Pallekele

He did not score a hundred in the first Test last week, but it was Tamim Iqbal, who took the game away from the Sri Lankans. With an array of attacking strokes, Tamim punished the bowlers and was batting as if he was featuring in a T-20. Not necessarily the bowlers had to err, like in the case of Dhananjaya de Silva, against whom he came down the track and hoisted for three sixes in the second innings.

Such was his dominance, when Tamim reached his half-century on Sunday, Bangladesh’s total was 52. It was like Sanath Jayasuriya reborn. He followed up his first innings 90 with an unbeaten 74 in the second innings. If not for rain, that washed out the final session’s play on Sunday, Tamim could have posted his hundred.

Sri Lanka will be looking to dismiss him early in the second Test that gets underway at Pallekele today.

Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne admitted that Tamim featured heavily in his team’s plans. “He plays the anchor role for their team. He will try and unsettle our bowlers. We will try and restrict his big shots and send him on a defensive mode.  When we attack him, he counter attacks and that backfires. If you analyze the last few series, he has not done well against off-spin so that’s probably the option to take a wicket. Suranga Lakmal has a chance with the new ball as well to dismiss him cheaply.  We will think of a plan and need to execute it,” Karunaratne told journalists yesterday.

The wicket for the first Test was disappointing and it remains to be seen what the teams will be presented with for the second Test. 

Sri Lanka have drafted in Lakshan Sandakan into the squad and with his wicket taking abilities, he might get a game while seamer Asitha Fernando is also in contention.

Bangladesh could make one change leaving out seamer Abu Jayed for Shoriful Hossain.

“We did well to draw the first Test. Coming into the series after a heavy defeat at the hands of West Indies, we were happy with our effort to draw the first Test and we look forward for the second Test,” Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque said.

Sri Lanka:

(Probable XI) Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella (Wicketkeeper), Suranga Lakmal, Lakshan Sandakan, Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando.

Bangladesh:

(Probable XI)  Tamim Iqbal, Saif Hassan, Najmul Shanto, Mominul Haque (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das (Wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Ebadat Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Hossain

Umpires:

Kumar Dharmasena and Ruchira Palliyaguruge

Third Umpire:

Ravindra Wimalasiri

Match Referee:

Ranjan Madugalle