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SL vs PAK, 1st Test | Preview, Pitch Report, Probable XIs, Fantasy Tips & Prediction

image-lk3nsqk2Shaheen Afridi will be back in Test action. [Twitter]

Sri Lanka is hosting Pakistan for a two-match Test series with the first Test set to be played from Sunday, July 16 in Galle. Both the teams are yet to kick-off their campaigns in the third edition of the World Test Championship Cycle and will be keen to mark their arrival with a win here in this Test match at Galle.

Team Previews

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka are coming into this match on the back of a bunch of white ball matches in the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. They will now look to quickly shift their focus to the red ball format.

The Lankans will be back in the whites for the first time since their 2-0 series win against Ireland in April, earlier this year. They finished fifth in the last edition of the World Test Championship and will be keen to make a difference this time, going up the ladder in the 2023-25 cycle.

Dimuth Karunaratne will continue as captain of the Test side and will lead a 16-member squad to welcome Pakistan on their shores. Uncapped left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka has been included in the Test squad and is expected to make his debut.

Pakistan

On the other hand, Pakistan will be back in Test action for the first time since hosting New Zealand back in January. The Pakistan Test team has not been at its best for some time now. Last time they won a Test match was nowhere else but in Galle against Sri Lanka.

Since then they have been winless for six games now. Pakistan finished seventh in the last World Test Championship Cycle and will be looking to turn things around in the 2023-25 cycle.

Pakistan has named a 16-men squad for two Tests against Sri Lanka and the major takeaway is Shaheen Afridi has made his way back for the first time since July last year. Babar Azam will continue as captain and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan will be his deputy.

Match Details

Date and Time: July 16, 10:00 AM IST

Venue: Galle International Stadium, Galle

Live Streaming and Broadcast: FanCode and Sony Sports Network

Pitch Report

The surface at the venue for the first Test is expected to be a balanced one. It will assist the spinners as usual but batters will be able to make their ways as well. Additionally, it will become more difficult to bat on this surface as the game progresses. The team winning the toss should be batting first.

Probable Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dilshan Madushka, Kasun Rajitha

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali

Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips

Wicketkeeper: Nishan Madushka

Batters: Dimuth Karunaratne, Babar Azam, Dinesh Chandimal, Abdullah Shafique

All-Rounders: Dhananjaya de Silva, Agha Salman

Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Prabath Jayasuriya, Kasun Rajitha, Abrar Ahmed

Captain: Babar Azam

Vice-Captain: Prabath Jayasuriya

Prediction

Considering Sri Lanka’s better quality in their spin attack and them playing at home, Dimuth Karunaratne and his men should start this match as favourites against Pakistan.